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The Applicant
Only an inventor or the inventor's heir or personal representative (if the inventor is deceased or mentally incompetent), or the inventor's assignee may apply for a patent. In many countries, including the United States but not Canada, the inventor's signature on the application papers is required, and if the inventor is for some reason unavailable, patent counsel should be consulted.
If the inventors have assigned their rights to their employer or to someone else, it is essential that the assignee be able to document this fact. If steps have not already been taken to obtain a written assignment, such should be taken as soon as reasonably possible, if a patent application is to be filed.
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