What is the “printed publication” requirement under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)?
The “printed publication” requirement under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a) refers to the condition that a reference must be sufficiently accessible to the public to be considered prior art. The MPEP states:
“A reference is a ‘printed publication’ if it is accessible to the public. A reference is ‘accessible’ when persons interested and ordinarily skilled in the subject matter can locate it and recognize and comprehend therefrom the essentials of the claimed invention without need of further research or experimentation.”
This means that for a document to be considered a printed publication, it must be readily available and understandable to those skilled in the relevant field. The accessibility and comprehensibility of the document are key factors in determining whether it qualifies as a printed publication under this statute.
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