What types of U.S. patent documents qualify as prior art under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2)?

Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2), the following U.S. patent documents qualify as prior art: U.S. patents U.S. patent application publications Certain World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) publications of international applications (PCT applications) The MPEP states: “AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) sets forth three types of patent documents that can be applied as prior art as of…

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How does the “effectively filed date” affect prior art status under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2)?

The “effectively filed date” is crucial in determining the prior art status of U.S. patent documents under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). According to the MPEP: “The question of whether a patent or published application is actually prior art under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) depends upon its effectively filed date.” (MPEP 2154.01) The effectively filed date…

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How does the AIA affect the critical reference date?

The America Invents Act (AIA) significantly changed the determination of the critical reference date for U.S. patents and patent application publications. MPEP 2136.03 explains: “AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(d) provides that if the U.S. patent, U.S. patent application publication, or WIPO published application names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of…

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What is the significance of the “effectively filed” date under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(d)?

The concept of “effectively filed” date is crucial for determining whether a U.S. patent document qualifies as prior art under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). The MPEP explains: AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(d) defines “effectively filed” for the purpose of determining whether a particular U.S. patent document is prior art under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) to a…

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How does 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) apply to patent applications?

35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) applies to certain patent documents as prior art. The MPEP states: “U.S. patents, U.S. patent applications published under 35 U.S.C. 122(b), and international patent applications published under the Patent Cooperation Treaty to another are prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) if the effectively filed date of the disclosure of the reference is…

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