Oblon Requests Revision of USPTO Rules Requiring Disclosure of Inventor's Residential Address

Oblon recently requested that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) revise rules that require disclosure of information relating an inventor’s residential address.  This request was motivated by privacy concerns regarding the disclosure of information relating to the residential addresses of inventors. The concerns are centered upon two specific issues: (1) the impending implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union, and (2) identify theft.  The GDPR strictly regulates the disclosure of any data that could be used to directly or indirectly identify a person (i.e. “personal data”), including, e.g. information relating to the residential addresses of individuals.  The request from Oblon to the USPTO can be read here.