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IP: ONLINE PUBLISHING DILEMMA
From: Dave Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>
Date: Fri, 17 Nov 1995 07:22:37 -0500
ONLINE PUBLISHING DILEMMA Researchers whose work is published online before it comes out in print are trimming valuable weeks off the one-year limitation they have if they wish to file a patent on their findings. Some journals run abstracts or entire articles online weeks or months before the paper version is available and the practice isn't restricted to journals, either -- often papers will be posted on a Web site prior to a conference where findings might be announced. The U.S. Patent and Trademark office hasn't issued a ruling on electronic disclosure, but a spokesman says patent lawyers should assume that anything that's available online should be considered "published," although it's "one of these issues that's going to take a while to mature." In the interim, researchers who may wish to file a patent in the future should always ask the publisher or conference organizer about early online availability of their findings. (Chronicle of Higher Education 17 Nov 95 A17)
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- IP: ONLINE PUBLISHING DILEMMA Dave Farber (Nov 17)