prior art
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- it's what we live for! It is technology or knowledge of technology, existing in the public domain, in the form of existing patents, trade publications, doctoral dissertations, etc., or a working example of the invention, that a patent encompasses in its claims (i.e. the patent applicant is claiming it to be a new invention, but it had already been invented by someone else).
O.W.D. Law Offices - Cite This Source - This Definition - Technology that was available prior to either the date of invention or the filing date of the application, depending on the patent office rule under consideration. Availability can be based on such factors as public use, secret sale, publication, public knowledge, etc. depending on the patent law of the jurisdiction in which the patent is being sought. MPEP 2126, MPEP 2126.01, MPEP 2127, MPEP 2128, MPEP 2128.01, MPEP 2128.02.
Robert M. Hunter, Ph.D. - Cite This Source - This Definition - The existing body of technological information against which an invention is judged to determine if it is patentable as being novel and unobvious. It must be early enough in time to be cited against the application.
Arnold Silverman and George Stacey - Cite This Source - This Definition - The total body of knowledge which teaches or otherwise relates directly to an invention.
University of North Texas - Cite This Source - This Definition - Anticipation, crowded art, fraud on the Patent and Trademark Office, Novelty, prior art (reference), reference (prior art), Search Report, teach, teach toward - teach away, Teaching Away