According to the public use doctrine for patents, ________.
A) a patent will not be granted if the invention was already in public use for more than a year prior to the filing of the patent application
B) an invention cannot be used in the public domain prior to it being granted a patent
C) the inventor has to test his invention in the public domain, to measure its validity, before being granted a patent
D) the invention will come into the public domain once its term period has expired

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The public use doctrine for patents states that a patent will not be granted if the invention was already in public use for more than a year prior to the filing of the patent application. This is to encourage inventors to keep their inventions confidential and apply for a patent in a timely manner. Option B is incorrect because an invention can be used in the public domain before being granted a patent, as long as it does not violate any existing patents. Option C is also incorrect because there is no requirement for the inventor to test their invention in the public domain. Finally, option D is incorrect because the invention does not automatically come into the public domain once its term period has expired - it may still be protected by other forms of intellectual property or trade secret laws.

According to the Public Use Doctrine for Patents, ________