The forfeiture of U.S. patent rights by placing an invention on sale

From: JOM | Date: February 1, 1999| Author: | Copyright information

In view of this court decision, it is important that those interested in avoiding forfeiture of patent rights in the United States not be lulled into a position of comfort solely because there has been no reduction to practice of the invention.

As a result of a recent opinion by the U.S. Supreme Court clarifying what is required to have an invention "on sale" prior to the filing of a U.S. patent application, it is important that inventors and those owning rights in inventions monitor their conduct carefully to avoid an inadvertent forfeiture.

The Federal Patent Statute states, in part, that ...

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