Inequitable Conduct - Duty of Candor

Duty of Candor

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Rule 56 explains that patents are "ffected with a public interest. The public interest is best served, and the most effective patent examination occurs when, at the time an application is being examined, the Office is aware of and evaluates the teachings of all information material to patentability." Accordingly, each individual person "associated with the filing and prosecution of a patent application has a duty of candor and good faith in dealing with the Office, which includes a duty to disclose to the Office all information known to that individual to be material to patentability."

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