FAQs Patent Questions

Question:An inventor faces possible loss of benefits during his two-year retention period.

Answer:
The two-year retention period is not a “grace period” during which the inventor can wait to file his or her patent application without possible loss of benefits. It must be recognized that, in establishing priority of invention, an affidavit or testimony referring to a Disclosure Document must usually also establish diligence in completing the invention or in filing the patent application after the filing of the Disclosure Document.

Question:The patent law specifies that its subject matter must be useful, meaning it is able to perform its intended purpose.

Answer:
The patent law specifies that the subject matter must be “useful.” The term “useful” in this connection refers to the condition that the subject matter has a useful purpose and also includes operativeness, that is, a machine which will not operate to perform the intended purpose would not be called useful, and therefore would not be granted a patent.

Question:An application is abandonned if payments are not made in time

Answer:
If timely payment of the fee(s) is not made, the application will be regarded as abandoned.

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