What is the significance of the filing date in relation to the grace period?
The filing date of a patent application is crucial in determining whether a disclosure falls within the grace period and qualifies for the inventor-originated disclosure exception. According to MPEP 2153.01(a):
“AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1)(A) first provides that a disclosure which would otherwise qualify as prior art under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) is excepted as prior art if the disclosure is made: (1) one year or less before the effective filing date of the claimed invention; and (2) by the inventor or a joint inventor or by another who obtained the subject matter disclosed directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor (i.e., an inventor-originated disclosure).”
The MPEP also notes an important consideration regarding the end of the grace period:
“The one-year grace period in AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1)(A) is extended to the next succeeding business day if the end of the one-year grace period otherwise falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday. Ex parte Olah, 131 USPQ 41 (Bd. App. 1960) and 35 U.S.C. 21(b).”
This provision ensures that applicants have the full benefit of the grace period, even if it would normally end on a non-business day. It’s important for applicants to carefully calculate the grace period based on their effective filing date to determine which disclosures may qualify for the exception.
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