Patent Bar: The Law Flashcards
Five Requirements to getting a patent
- Patentable Subject Matter
- Utility (Useful)
- Novel
- Non-Obvious
- Invention Adequately described.
Patent Eligible Subject Matter
Basically anything in the U.S.
- living organism
- business methods
- software
Process, Machine, Manufacture, Composition of Matter
**Speed Bump
1952 Patent Act
Anything made by man under the sun.
What is not patentable?
- Abstract Idea
- Law of Nature
- Mathematical Equation
- Algorithm
Utility
Does the invention work the way you are claiming it to work?
Quite different than other Bureaus
Example: Claim to kill cancer, must kill cancer
**Speed Bump
35 USC 102 Part 1: 102 (a)-(b) OLD LAW
Any application filed before March 16 2013.
These get first to invent.
35 USC 102
Covers Novelty.
Is this invention new.
Defines universe of prior art.
Fishing net Comparison - as you hoist all the fish not all make it to the top. Focus on the things that are caught that are identical to the claimed invention. 102 Rejection.
Novelty
Is this claimed invention new.
Exact identity.
Does the prior art exactly describe the claimed invention, If so then you have prior art under 102.
Example: Indigenous People using in a remote part of the world
Sometimes will not be prior art.
Two Separate Parts of 102
- Novelty aspects
- Statutory Bars
Novelty Sections of 102
(a) Prior Art
(e)
(f)
(g)
Novelty Question of 102
Did somebody else do something prior to the inventor?
Needs to be some other party, inventor cannot create the problem
Trigger: Did something happen prior to the inventor inventing the invention
Statutory Bar Sections of 102
(b)
(d)
Statutory Bar Question of 102
Did the inventor wait to long to file an application in the US?
Otherwise patent eligible waits to long to file.
35 USC 102 (c)
Not really tested, abandonment
Old Law: 102 (a)
Rejection if before the invention thereof by the applicant for a patent:
- Known or used by other in this country,
OR
- Patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country
Invention
Does not exist until the idea is:
1. Conceived
AND
2. Reduced to practice.
Date of Invention
Relates back to Date of Conception
Conception
The time you can communicate the idea to PHOSITA and they would be able to do it.
Reduction of Practice
You’ve actually done it
OR
Described in a publication that others could do it.
“known or Used in this Country”
How the claimed invention works is known by the general public.
Use is known about or done by General Public.
“Patented or Described in a Printed Publication in This or a Foreign Country”
Anywhere in the World before conception
Could be:
1. printed patent publication
OR
2. Article published
Old Law: 102 (b)
A person is entitled to a patent UNLESS more than one year before the date of application in U.S.:
- Patented or Described in a printed publication in this or a foreign Country (Foreign Patent Application),
OR - In public use or in sale in the U.S.
Trigger Date: Prior to the application in the US, more than 1 year.
Both Inventor or Other can create this problem.
Foreign Patent Application
A foreign application filed in that specific foreign country. You have 12 months/ 6 Months to file for priority.
PCT
Patent Coroporation Application
Filed anywhere and it is an international application.
Treated as US application if you designate US on the application.
This process is referred to a clock in 102 (b)
You have twelve months to file after these or you are out of luck.
To stop the clock, File a US application.
Public Use or On Sale
Must be in US.
Knowledge under 102 (b) is not enough.
Exceptions to Public Use or On Sale
Experimental Use Exception - is there certain public use that is excused and not considered when started 102 (b) clock.
Public Policy: We want complete inventions to be patented.
Only way to realistically test the invention. MUST be experimental.
IF not applying, Rejections around.