When Lee, a patent agent, draws up the petition for a patent for a particular invention, she must submit detailed specifications of the invention, usually along with drawings of it, and a statement as to what is new in this invention and what uses it can be put to. Lee can leave out an essential feature of the invention until the patent is granted, so that no one browsing through the patents pending descriptions could steal the idea.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patent application process requires full disclosure of the invention to ensure that the patent office can assess its novelty and non-obviousness. Leaving out essential features with the intention of keeping them secret until the patent is granted would result in an incomplete application, potentially leading to the rejection of the patent.

When Lee, a Patent Agent, Draws Up the Petition for a Patent