Correction of Ownership Does Not Necessarily Require Direct Evidence from Assignor

Copperhead Industrial Inc. v. Canada (Attorney General) 2018 FC 311 Gleeson J
            2,614,533 / 2,919,266

Copperhead Industrial concerns a contested application to vary the ownership records of the Patent Office. The applicant’s legal corporate name is Copperhead Industrial Inc, and its Ontario Corporation Number is 002152706 [2]. The applicant’s sole director mistakenly believed that its legal name was 002152706 Ontario Ltd., and that Copperhead was its trade name [8]. Consequently, the inventor of the patents at issue assigned them to 002152706 Ontario Ltd, and that was the name reflected in the Canadian Patents Database. Copperheard subsequently commenced actions alleging infringement by Charger & Dresser, who responded in part by arguing that because 002152706 Ontario Ltd. is not a legal corporate entity, all the patent rights remain with the inventor. (The inventor was seriously ill when the action was commenced and is now deceased [11]-[12].) Copperhead therefore brought this application, pursuant to s 52, to have the records corrected to show Copperhead Industrial Inc. as the owner of the patents. While the Patent Office did not oppose the application, and did not appear, Charger & Dresser opposed the application as an intervener [5]-[6].

Gleeson J held that the Federal Court has jurisdiction, as there is no question of a contested interpretation of a contract of assignment [21]. He further held that while non-hearsay evidence from relevant inventors and assignors is commonly provided, and is of assistance to the Court, it is not required [22]-[23]. (The inventor was too ill to provide an affidavit before his death.)

Gleeson J also held that when the Patent Office records are varied, an effective date of variation is not required [34] . He explained that the effect of an order pursuant to section 52 is to correct an error or mistake; it does not serve to alter the effective date of the assignment or other underlying contractual documents, and consequently there is no requirement to identify an effective date for such an order [35].

On the facts, Gleeson J held that the error was due to an honest misunderstanding on the part of the applicant, and the intervener would not suffer any substantive prejudice in the related litigation as a result of the correction [36]. He therefore ordered the Patent Office records corrected to show Copperhead Industrial Inc. as the owner of the patents.