First to File: Patents for Today's Scientist and Engineer

List of Figures

Figure 2.1	U.S. patents and published patent applications as prior art. “D of I,” date of invention; “EFD,” effective filing date; “D of P,” either date of publication or date of patent, whichever is first. Choice between “Pre-AIA” and “AIA” is determined by the effective filing date of the claims under examination. The exceptions for references whose subject matter is obtained from the inventor, references whose subject matter was previously publicly disclosed by the inventor, and references that are commonly owned with the claims under examination are not shown, but would apply to Refs. 1, 2, and 4.
Figure 2.2	Non-U.S. (e.g., PCT, European, etc.) patents and published patent applications as prior art. “D of I,” date of invention; “EFD,” effective filing date; “D of P,” either date of publication or date of patent, whichever is first. Choice between “Pre-AIA” and “AIA” is determined by the effective filing date of the claims under examination. The exceptions for references whose subject matter is obtained from the inventor, references whose subject matter was previously publicly disclosed by the inventor, and references that are commonly owned with the claims under examination are not shown, but would apply to Refs. 1 and 4.
Figure 2.3	Published literature other than patents and published patent applications as prior art. “D of I,” date of invention; “EFD,” effective filing date; “D of P,” date of publication. Choice between “Pre-AIA” and “AIA” is determined by ...