u/Ok-Low3090

If you have ever tried to find a patent to license and manufacture, then you probably know how time consuming it is. You can search the USPTO website looking for relevant patents and you can read the patents that seem valuable to determine if the patent claims provide meaningful protection for the invention.

But if you want to know if the invention works as described in the patent, then you need to contact the inventor and find out if the inventor has a prototype, and arrange to see a demonstration of the prototype. Once you see the prototype demonstration, you may realize that there are problems you did not expect with the performance of the invention and decide that you need to continue your search for another valuable patent.

This time consuming effort is made even more time consuming because the USPTO patent search database contains only address contact information for inventors and patent assignees that is generally out of date within two to three years after a patent has been issued. While you can often contact the patent attorney of record or look for updated contact information for the inventor, both of these processes are time consuming and not certain to succeed.

This problem could be addressed by including optional email addresses of the inventors in the patent search database. Inventors (and/or patent owners) could update their email addresses on the Internet if they change. An email address option will also provide an alternative contact option for inventors with private mailing addresses.

The patent search database could also be updated to include an optional website address where the patent owner can provide relevant business and technical information regarding the invention as well as product demonstration photos and videos. Websites can provide information to potential licensees that can be updated easily by the inventor, thereby improving the likelihood for successful commercialization of the invention.  

By adding email and website addresses of inventors to the online patent database, communication with inventors will be enhanced, and by speeding up the communication that takes place between inventors and industry, technology can develop more rapidly and cost effectively.  By facilitating commercialization, the USPTO will encourage innovation and discourage useless invention marketing companies.

If you have ever tried to find a patent to license and manufacture, then you probably know how time consuming it is. You can search the USPTO website looking for relevant patents and you can read the patents that seem valuable to determine if the patent claims provide meaningful protection for the invention.

But if you want to know if the invention works as described in the patent, then you need to contact the inventor and find out if the inventor has a prototype, and arrange to see a demonstration of the prototype. Once you see the prototype demonstration, you may realize that there are problems you did not expect with the performance of the invention and decide that you need to continue your search for another valuable patent.

This time consuming effort is made even more time consuming because the USPTO patent search database contains only address contact information for inventors and patent assignees that is generally out of date within two to three years after a patent has been issued. While you can often contact the patent attorney of record or look for updated contact information for the inventor, both of these processes are time consuming and not certain to succeed.

This problem could be addressed by including optional email addresses of the inventors in the patent search database. Inventors (and/or patent owners) could update their email addresses on the Internet if they change. An email address option will also provide an alternative contact option for inventors with private mailing addresses.

The patent search database could also be updated to include an optional website address where the patent owner can provide relevant business and technical information regarding the invention as well as product demonstration photos and videos. Websites can provide information to potential licensees that can be updated easily by the inventor, thereby improving the likelihood for successful commercialization of the invention.  

By adding email and website addresses of inventors to the online patent database, communication with inventors will be enhanced, and by speeding up the communication that takes place between inventors and industry, technology can develop more rapidly and cost effectively.  By facilitating commercialization, the USPTO will encourage innovation and discourage useless invention marketing companies.