,,ii  #aad? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #ibf  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!       
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,april #ad1 #bjae,ms4  
,baldw9 7= h]self & ,mr4 ,vitt]7        
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on !     
,judici>y  ,a ,,bill  ,to am5d ! pat5t  
law to promote basic rese>*1 to /imulate
 publication ( sci5tific docum5ts1 to   
enc\rage collaboration 9 sci5tific      
endeavors1 to improve ! transf] (       
te*nology to ! private sector1 & = o!r  
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,grace ,p]iod ,re/oration  
,act ( #bjae4  #b4 ,f9d+s2 purposes  7a7
 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3  7#a7  
,language 9 ! ,leahy-,smi? ,am]ica      
,inv5ts ,act 7,public ,law #aab-bi2 #abe
 ,/at4 #bhd7 & regulations & exam9ation 
guidel9es issu$ by ! ,unit$ ,/ates      
,pat5t & ,tradem>k ,(fice implem5t+     
provisions ( t ,act h creat$ unc]ta9ty  
reg>d+ ! scope ( ! #a-ye> grace p]iod   
dur+ :i* an inv5tor :o discloses an     
inv5tion to ! public may decide :e!r to 

file a pat5t application = ! inv5tion   
7ref]r$ to 9 ?is ,act z ! grace p]iod74 
7#b7 ,! regulatory read+ ( !            
,leahy-,smi? ,am]ica ,inv5ts ,act does n
 comport ) ! int5t ( ! sponsors ( t     
,act4  7#c7 ,9 p]=m+ m ?an #ej p]c5t (  
all basic rese>* 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates &    
pursu+ ! transf] ( rese>* results to !  
private sector = ! b5efit ( ! public "u 
! auspices ( *apt] #ah ( title #ce1     
,unit$ ,/ates ,code 7commonly kn[n z !  
,bayh-,dole ,act71 in/itutions ( high]  
education & gov]nm5t laboratories face a
 difficult & exp5sive *all5ge 9 ga9+ &  
utiliz+ ! full scope ( pat5t rights4    
7#d7 ,! unc]ta9ty relat+ to ! grace     
p]iod creat$ by ! ,leahy-,smi? ,am]ica  
,inv5ts ,act adds to ! *all5ge fac$ by  
in/itutions ( high] education & gov]nm5t
 laboratories 9 ga9+ & utiliz+ ! full   
scope ( pat5t rights4  7#e7 ,job gr[? & 
! creation ( />t-up companies & small   
bus9esses are ?w>t$ by unc]ta9ty z to ! 
scope ( ! grace p]iod & by ! difficulty 
& exp5se ( ga9+ & utiliz+ pat5t rights1 

:i* h9d]s ! economy ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates & 
! te*nological lead]%ip ( ! ,unit$      
,/ates 9 a competitive global economy4  
7#f7 ,ambiguity & unc]ta9ty 9 /atutory  
text & gov]nm5t regulations bre$ abusive
 & exp5sive pat5t litigation4  7#g7     
,disc\ragem5t ( sci5tific rese>*        
publication-- 7,a7 delays ! disclosure (
 sci5tific advances to ! public2  7,b7  
?w>ts sci5tific advances2  7,c7 *ills   
collaborative rese>* activities2 &  7,d7
 delays1 if n d5ies1 ! opportunity = !  
public to realize ! b5efits ( rese>*    
results4  7#h7 ,misappropriation by ?ird
 p>ties ( disclos$ inv5tions is likely  
to increase1 especially 9 c\ntries t    
take advantage ( ! te*nological pr[ess (
 ! ,unit$ ,/ates )\t appropriately      
comp5sat+ inv5tors4  7#i7 ,secrecy is   
ana!ma to-- 7,a7 ! ma9t5ance ( a viable 
,unit$ ,/ates pat5t sy/em2  7,b7 !      
con/itutional purpose ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
pat5t sy/em2 &  7,c7 ! goal ( ! ,unit$  
,/ates pat5t sy/em ( promot+ sci5tific  
progress4  7#aj7 ,9 ! words ( ,david ,j4

 ,kappos1 :o s]v$ z ! ,"u ,secret>y (   
,comm]ce = ,intellectual ,prop]ty &     
,director ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,pat5t &    
,tradem>k ,(fice dur+ ! enactm5t ( !    
,leahy-,smi? ,am]ica ,inv5ts ,act1 !    
grace p]iod be=e ! enactm5t ( !         
,leahy-,smi? ,am]ica ,inv5ts ,act 0 !   
gold /&>d ( be/ practices4  7b7         
,purposes ,! purposes ( ?is ,act are--  
7#a7 to correct ! draft+ problem 9 !    
,leahy-,smi? ,am]ica ,inv5ts ,act relat+
 to ! grace p]iod2 &  7#b7 to ma9ta9 !  
position ( lead]%ip ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9 
educational1 te*nological1 & sci5tific  
progress4  #c4 ,disclosures foll[+ a    
public disclosure ( a claim$ inv5tion by
 an inv5tor ,section #ajb7;b7 ( title   
#ce1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by   
add+ at ! end ! foll[+3  7#c7           
,disclosures by any p]son aft] public   
disclosure ( a claim$ inv5tion by an    
inv5tor  7,a7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is        
p>agraph--  7i7 ! t]m cov]$ p]son1 )    
respect to a claim$ inv5tion1 means--   
7,i7 ! inv5tor2  7,,ii7 a jo9t inv5tor2 

or  7,,iii7 ano!r :o obta9$ ! claim$    
inv5tion directly or indirectly f !     
inv5tor or a jo9t inv5tor2 &  7ii7 ! t]m
 relevant section #aab7;a7 requirem5ts  
means ! requirem5ts = a specification "u
 section #aab7;a7 o!r ?an ! requirem5t  
to set =? ! be/ mode ( c>ry+ out !      
inv5tion4  7,b7 ,public disclosure ,a   
disclosure by any p]son %all n be prior 
art to a claim$ inv5tion "u subsection  
7a7 or section #ajc if--  7i7 !         
disclosure is made "u subsection 7a77#a7
 or effectively fil$ "u subsection      
7a77#b7 #a ye> or less be=e ! effective 
fil+ date ( ! claim$ inv5tion2 &  7ii7  
be=e ! disclosure describ$ 9 clause 7i7 
is made or fil$1 & #a ye> or less be=e !
 effective fil+ date ( ! claim$         
inv5tion1 ! claim$ inv5tion is publicly 
disclos$ 9 a pr9t$ publication by a     
cov]$ p]son 9 a mann] t satisfies !     
relevant section #aab7;a7 requirem5ts4  
7,c7 ,det]m9ation t public disclosure   
w\ld h satisfi$ specification           
requirem5ts ,9 det]m9+ "u subp>agraph   

7,b7 :e!r a claim$ inv5tion 0 publicly  
disclos$ 9 a pr9t$ publication by a     
cov]$ p]son 9 a mann] t satisfi$ !      
relevant section #aab7;a7 requirem5ts-- 
7i7 only ! /ate ( ! art kn[n on & be=e !
 date ( ! disclosure may be consid]$2 & 
7ii7 satisfaction ( ! relevant section  
#aab7;a7 requirem5ts may be--  7,i7     
e/abli%$ by #a or m public disclosures 9
 pr9t$ publications made by a cov]$     
p]son dur+ ! p]iod ( #a ye> or less     
betwe5--  7aa7 ! disclosure by ! cov]$  
p]son describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,b77ii72 &
  7bb7 ! effective fil+ date ( ! claim$ 
inv5tion2 &  7,,ii7 support$ by /atem5ts
 "u decl>ation or oa? relat+ to !       
exi/5ce & cont5t ( ! public disclosure  
or disclosures 9 pr9t$ publications     
describ$ 9 subclause 7,i74  7,d7        
,presumption ( validity ,an applicant = 
a pat5t %all pres5t to ! ,pat5t &       
,tradem>k ,(fice1 be=e ! ,pat5t &       
,tradem>k ,(fice issues a notice (      
all[ance ( ! application = ! pat5t1 ea* 
disclosure "u subp>agraph 7,c77ii77,i7 &

 any /atem5t "u subp>agraph             
7,c77ii77,,ii7 9 ord] = ! section       
#aab7;a7 support provid$ by ea* su*     
disclosure or /atem5t "u subp>agraph    
7,c77ii7 to be tak5 into acc\nt "u !    
section #bhb7;a7 presumption ( validity 
( an issu$ pat5t4  7,e7 ,c]ta9          
disclosures n prior art ,a disclosure   
describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a77;,a71          
7#b77;,a71 or 7#b77;,c7 %all n be prior 
art to a claim$ inv5tion "u ?is         
p>agraph4  7,f7 ,proc$ures ,! ,pat5t &  
,tradem>k ,(fice may e/abli% proc$ures  
to c>ry out ?is p>agraph4  4  #d4       
,effective date ,! am5dm5ts made by ?is 
,act %all take effect z if enact$ z "p (
 ! ,leahy-,smi? ,am]ica ,inv5ts ,act    
7,public ,law #aab-bi2 #abe ,/at4 #bhd74