The US Patent and Trademark Office allows some patent applicants to file and prosecute patent applications with reduced government fees by declaring “Small Entity” status.  Government fees may be further reduced for Small Entities further qualifying for “Micro Entity” status.  While declaring Small Entity or Micro Entity status may reduce

Multiple inventors typically contribute to the inventive subject matter of a patent or patent application. All individuals contributing to the conception of subject matter set forth in the claims of a U.S. patent application must be named as inventors. In the absence of an assignment of rights to a patent