How does awaiting third-party approval affect the completeness of an invention?
Awaiting approval from a third-party organization, such as Underwriters’ Laboratories, typically does not extend the experimental use period if the inventor already considers the invention complete. The MPEP states: If the examiner concludes from the evidence of record that the inventor was satisfied that an invention was in fact “complete,” awaiting approval by the inventor…
Read MoreHow does disposal of prototypes affect patent rights?
The disposal of prototypes before the critical date (typically one year before the patent application filing date) can affect patent rights. The MPEP provides guidance on how examiners should evaluate such situations: Where a prototype of an invention has been disposed of by an inventor before the critical date, inquiry by the examiner should focus…
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