What does “names another inventor” mean in AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2)?
The phrase “names another inventor” in AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) refers to the requirement that for a U.S. patent document to qualify as prior art, there must be a difference in inventive entity between the prior art document and the application under examination or patent under reexamination.
As stated in MPEP 2154.01(c): “This means that if there is any difference in inventive entity between the prior art U.S. patent document and the application under examination or patent under reexamination, the U.S. patent document satisfies the ‘names another inventor’ requirement of AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2).”
In simpler terms, even if there is just one different inventor listed on the prior art document compared to the application being examined, it meets the “names another inventor” criterion.
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