Keep Your Ideas Close to the Vest
Did you know...that even if you are the first to invent patentable subject matter, and the first to file for a patent on that subject matter, you may have already lost your patent rights through your own actions. Here are some activities to watch out for:
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If your invention was offered for sale or was in public use in the US more than one year before you applied for a patent in the US, you are prohibited from obtaining a patent.
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If your invention was described in a printed publication in the either the US or a foreign country more than one year before you applied for a patent in the US, you are prohibited from obtaining a patent.
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Outside the US: Be aware that actions on your part affect patent rights abroad differently. In Europe, for example, if the substance of your invention is divulged to the public by means of a written description, oral presentation, public demonstration, or any other means, before you apply for a European patent, you are prohibited from obtaining a patent.
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