Prior Disclosure

May 12, 2022
Engineer at an oil refinery inspects centrifuge equipment.

Federal Circuit Narrows Application of the Experimental Use Exception

Under the “on-sale bar”, privately offering to sell an invention before filing a patent application can void the patent rights in all but a few permissible scenarios.
August 30, 2021
Photograph of a woman conducting business at her laptop.

Top Questions We Get Asked About Provisional Patent Applications

Provisional patent applications are generally well known in the start-up community as an affordable way to protect patent rights, but it can be hard to locate practical information. Here are the questions that our clients most frequently ask us about provisional patent applications.
September 20, 2018

Defence of Prior Disclosure Needs Material Facts

2018 FC 689 – Federal Court confirms that material facts must be pleaded in order to succeed with defence of prior disclosure.
January 22, 2013

FCA Clarifies Prior Disclosure and the “Obvious to Try” Analysis

Wenzel Downhole Tools Ltd. v. National-Oilwell Canada Ltd., 2012 FCA 333 Per Gauthier J.A. (Nadon J.A. concurring): This was an appeal from the Federal Court decision […]