What are the key disclosure requirements for a patent application under 35 U.S.C. 112(a)?

Under 35 U.S.C. 112(a), there are three key disclosure requirements for a patent application:

• Possession: The patentee must disclose sufficient information to demonstrate that the inventor had possession of the invention at the time of filing.
• Enablement: The disclosure must enable those skilled in the art to make and use the invention.
• Best Mode: The applicant must not conceal from the public the best way of practicing the invention that was known to the patentee at the time of filing the patent application.

As stated in the MPEP: “The patentee must disclose sufficient information to demonstrate that the inventor had possession of the invention at the time of filing and to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the invention.“

Failure to comply with these disclosure requirements could result in the denial of a patent or the invalidation of an issued patent.

To learn more:

• patent application
• disclosure requirements
• possession
• enablement
• best mode