Assignee

Patent portfolio audit and patent ownership audit software

A patent portfolio audit checks the owner of record for each patent against the entity that should own it, looking for chain of title gaps, missing inventor assignments, open security interests, and unrecorded name changes or mergers. Assignee runs that review across a whole patent list using USPTO assignment records. Your team gets the recorded ownership history and exceptions to resolve with counsel before financing, a transaction or enforcement.

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What a patent portfolio audit checks

Start with the intended owner for each patent. A parent company, an operating subsidiary and a holding entity can belong to the same group while remaining different legal owners. A patent ownership audit compares the public record with your ownership schedule, rather than treating a familiar corporate name as proof.

  • Owner of record. Identify the recorded holder and compare it with the legal entity on the deal schedule or internal register.
  • Chain continuity. Follow each transfer to the next and flag an assignor whose recorded acquisition is missing.
  • Inventor assignments. Check for a recorded assignment from every named inventor, including documents associated with the application before grant.
  • Security interests. Match recorded security agreements to releases and identify interests without a matching recorded release.
  • Entity history. Follow recorded name changes and mergers, and identify unexplained differences for review against corporate documents.
  • Property identifiers. Check that the assignment history belongs to the intended patent and application, with source references available for inspection.

The patent chain of title report or a bulk patent assignment lookup supplies the evidence for each entry. A patent title audit establishes what the record supports and what still needs a document. It does not establish validity, infringement or the enforceability of every agreement.

Trace ownership

Common findings that need a document or a correction

A patent remains recorded in a dissolved subsidiary or under a name used before a merger. The corporate group may recognize the asset, but a buyer needs the link to the selling entity. Counsel checks the merger or dissolution documents and determines what evidence belongs in the assignment record.

A named inventor has no recorded assignment. That is a missing public link, not proof that nobody obtained a signature. Locate the executed agreement, confirm the patent or application falls within its scope, and have counsel address any missing transfer or recordation.

A security agreement appears without a recorded release. The loan may already be repaid. Obtain the release and compare its parties, scope and property schedule with the original agreement. An open flag remains a review item until the supporting evidence explains it.

An assignment names the right parties but lists the wrong patent number. Inspect the signed instrument and recording cover sheet before selecting a correction procedure. A recordation error and an error in the underlying document can require different remedies. Keep the source reference beside the affected patent so counsel can work from the actual filing.

USPTO records do not capture every possible encumbrance. Pair the review with the UCC and contractual searches appropriate to the transaction, as explained in the patent lien search guide.

How to audit patent portfolio ownership in four steps

  1. 1

    Upload or paste your patent list, or search by owner. On Firm, search owner lists by corporate family. Keep the expected legal owner beside each patent so the recorded result has a clear comparison point.

  2. 2

    Assignee traces each chain of title from USPTO assignment records, connecting recorded conveyances, inventor assignments, name changes and mergers. Reel and frame references let reviewers inspect the documents behind the ownership history.

  3. 3

    Review title risk flags and unmatched security interests on Professional and above. Compare the computed owner of record with your expected owner, then collect missing agreements, merger evidence or releases for counsel to assess.

  4. 4

    Export PDF and CSV reports for the diligence file. Firm adds Excel export with reel and frame documents. Give counsel the exceptions and supporting records for signoff, then check the record again after corrective documents are recorded.

For a repeatable intake process in your own systems, Firm includes the patent ownership API. Keep the same patent identifiers in the deal schedule and the exported evidence so corrections remain traceable.

When a portfolio review belongs in the workflow

Before financing, check that the proposed borrower owns the scheduled collateral and identify earlier recorded interests. A patent assignment audit helps separate missing recordations from issues that need a lender release or a transfer agreement.

On the sell side, run the review before circulating the patent schedule. On the buy side, compare the seller's list with the record and put unresolved exceptions into the patent due diligence process. The same work helps define which entity signs a divestiture agreement.

After a reorganization, verify that assignments and corporate changes reach the affected records. Before licensing or enforcement, confirm the proposed licensor or plaintiff has documentary support for its rights. An annual patent portfolio review gives the IP department a regular opportunity to reconcile its register with newly recorded documents.

Choose the right level of review for the matter

Review task Law firm manual review Official USPTO Assignment Center search, no charge Assignee
Cost model Hourly or per patent, depending on engagement No charge for official searches Subscription with monthly report allowances
Time for 500 patents Substantial document review and coordination Repeated searches and manual reconciliation Automated assembly, followed by review of exceptions
Owner of record computed Determined by the reviewer Reviewer derives it from recorded documents Yes, with the supporting chain
Liens matched to releases Reviewer compares documents Manual comparison required Included on Professional and above
Inventor assignment check Reviewer checks signatures and scope Reviewer checks the source documents Recorded assignment check, with gaps flagged on Professional and above
Export Memo or schedule as agreed Source documents, no assembled portfolio audit report PDF and CSV, plus Excel on Firm
Legal opinion Counsel provides it within the agreed engagement No No

Assignee prepares the evidence, and counsel signs off on legal conclusions. The official search remains useful for inspecting source filings. A firm can also examine unrecorded agreements and transaction documents that a public record review cannot resolve.

Built for the people responsible for the ownership schedule

Corporate IP departments and in-house counsel need a defensible list of which entity holds each patent. Acquirers and their counsel need exceptions tied to documents, so a broad ownership representation does not substitute for checking the assets on the schedule.

Patent lenders need recorded security interests identified before taking collateral. PE and VC diligence teams need to distinguish a record that needs updating from a substantive ownership question. An IP portfolio audit supports those decisions when its patent ownership findings sit alongside the wider review of other rights and contracts.

After closing, keep resolved exceptions and remaining work in your patent portfolio management process. The next reviewer needs to see what changed and which document supports it.

Plans for patent portfolio audit work

Professional costs $124 per month billed yearly, or $249 billed monthly. It includes 150 chain of title reports per month, title risk flags and security interest release tracking, with PDF and CSV export.

Firm costs $299 per month billed yearly, or $599 billed monthly. It includes 600 reports per month, everything in Professional, owner lists by company and corporate family, Excel export with reel and frame documents, and API access.

Enterprise starts at $1,499 per month and includes unlimited reports, seats and patents in monitoring, with everything in Firm. Choose capacity for the list you need to review and compare billing terms on the Assignee pricing page.

Questions about patent portfolio audits

What is included in a patent portfolio audit?

A patent portfolio audit checks recorded ownership against the expected owner, chain continuity, inventor assignments, security interests, releases, name changes and mergers. Assignee assembles the USPTO evidence for each patent and identifies exceptions. Counsel reviews the underlying documents and any unrecorded agreements before reaching a legal conclusion.

How long does a patent portfolio audit take?

The time depends on portfolio size and the exceptions found. Assignee assembles recorded ownership histories across the list, reducing manual search and reconciliation work. The review still takes time when counsel must obtain missing signatures, confirm merger evidence, or arrange releases. Those tasks determine when the audit is complete.

How much does a patent portfolio audit cost?

Law firms bill hourly or per patent, and quotes vary with scope. Assignee Professional costs $124 per month billed yearly for 150 monthly reports. Firm costs $299 per month billed yearly for 600 reports. Enterprise starts at $1,499 per month with unlimited reports. Counsel's legal review is separate.

How do I check who owns all the patents in a portfolio?

Compare each patent's recorded chain with the entity that should own it. Start from a patent list or an owner search, then follow inventor assignments, transfers and corporate changes. Assignee assembles those records across the list. Review exceptions against signed documents rather than assuming every patent belongs to the parent.

What happens if a patent is recorded in the wrong entity?

Counsel determines the correct transfer or correction, and a corrective assignment is recorded with the USPTO when appropriate. Electronic recording costs $0 per property under 37 CFR 1.21(h)(1), while paper recording costs $54 per property. Those are recording fees, separate from legal work or obtaining signatures.

Is a USPTO owner of record the same as legal title?

No. The USPTO owner of record reflects recorded documents, while legal title depends on the operative agreements and applicable law. An unrecorded assignment can affect ownership even when the public record shows another entity. Use the audit as evidence for counsel to assess, rather than as a legal opinion.

Put a documented owner beside every patent

Start with a patent from your schedule, inspect its recorded chain, and choose the plan that covers your portfolio. Bring counsel a list of specific exceptions with the documents needed to resolve them.

Trace ownership