What must be shown in a 37 CFR 1.131(a) affidavit or declaration?
This page is an FAQ based on guidance from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only: it is not legal advice.
A 37 CFR 1.131(a) affidavit or declaration must establish possession of either the whole invention claimed or something falling within the claim. According to MPEP 715.02:
The 37 CFR 1.131(a) affidavit or declaration must establish possession of either the whole invention claimed or something falling within the claim (such as a species of a claimed genus), in the sense that the claim as a whole reads on it.
This means that the affidavit or declaration should demonstrate that the inventor had completed the invention or a significant part of it before the effective date of the reference being antedated.