An inventor is anyone who makes an inventive contribution to the invention
as claimed in the patent application.
Individuals and their relationship to an invention generally
fall within three groups.
- Anyone who contributes a basic idea that results in the
invention as it is being claimed. This also includes persons who, in
the development process, contribute novel ideas leading to the mechanical
translation of an idea (of someone else) into a physical object.
- On the other hand, anyone who contributes only labor,
supervision of routine techniques, or other non-mental contributions,
should not be considered as inventor.
- Contributions related to the idea, but not to the claimed
inventions, cannot be seen as entitlements for inventorship.