A broadening reissue application can be filed by whom?

A broadening reissue application can indeed be filed by all joint inventors or by the assignee, provided certain qualifications are met. This is important as it reflects the collaborative nature of invention, where multiple inventors may contribute to the creation of a patent. If the patent is assigned to a company or organization, the assignee can also file for a broadening reissue, ensuring that the rights of all contributing parties are considered.

Broadening reissue applications are specifically designed to allow the patent owner to correct errors or expand the scope of claims beyond what was originally granted. This is often motivated by the desire to cover additional embodiments or variations that were not contemplated at the time of the original filing.

The other options are limited in scope. The original patent owner alone, while certainly able to file, does not account for the contributions of joint inventors or assignees. Similarly, the notion that any interested party could file does not align with the regulations governing reissues, as reissue applications specifically require the original patent owner or their legal representative (like an assignee) to initiate such actions. Lastly, while a broadening reissue must be filed within a specific timeframe post-grant, being limited to just that aspect does not capture the eligibility