David Breiner

The United States Patent System - The Change is Coming! - Part III

As mentioned in my previous articles, the America Invents Act (AIA) will move the United States Patent System from a first-to-invent system to a first-to-file system on March 16, 2013. Under the current system, an inventor has a 1 year grace period to file a patent application after the inventor discloses his or her invention to the public.... Read More

The United States Patent System - The Change is Coming! - Part II

As outlined in my previous article, the America Invents Act (AIA) will move the United States patent system from a first-to-invent system to a first-to-file system on March 16, 2013. Generally speaking, under the AIA, in a competition between two inventors filing patent applications for an identical invention, the inventor who filed his/her... Read More

The United States Patent System - The Change is Coming! - Part I

Historically, the United States patent system has been a first-to-invent system. That is, in a competition between two inventors seeking a patent on the same technology, the patent has been awarded to the inventor who invented first, not the first inventor to file. The United States patent system, however, will soon change due to a piece of... Read More