Ignorance is bliss

In this article, the author gives his views regarding the proposed new USPTO rules governing disclosure during prosecution of a patent application. The paper also discussed the implications of this new proposed rules. While this article is not intended as legal advice, there are significant implications that stem from these proposed new rules. First, the cost of preparation and prosecution of a patent application may skyrocket where the inventor has significant knowledge in their industry. Since the inventor may know of relevant research or the work of others in their indus try, there is a high likelihood that they may have knowledge of more than 20 references. The review of these references and the preparation of the required ";additional disclosure"; could easily far exceed the cost of the preparation of the application. Second, these requirements may have further implications on the enforcement of an issued patent.