Who has the authority to grant others the Power to Inspect an application?

The authority to grant others the Power to Inspect a patent application lies with the applicant or their patent practitioner of record. This means that the individual or entity that filed the application, or their legal representative, has the right to control access to the contents of the application. They can designate who may see the application before it becomes publicly available, which typically occurs 18 months after the earliest priority date.

The applicant or patent practitioner has the responsibility to manage the information related to the application and can provide others, such as investors, collaborators, or legal representatives, with permission to inspect the application. This control is important not only for protecting intellectual property but also for ensuring that sensitive information is disclosed appropriately and only to those authorized.

While patent examiners, interested parties, and patent office directors play significant roles in the patent system, they do not hold the authority to grant access to inspect an application in the same way as the applicant or their practitioner.