America Invents Act: the search for patent quality

Following full implementation of the first-inventor-to-file (FITF) system and the expanded definition of prior art provisions required under the America Invents Acts (AIA), more applicants understand the need for some type of patent search before filing a patent application. In our opinion however, not enough applicants realise the value of obtaining relevant prior art through comprehensive high-quality prior art research before plunging into the expensive patenting process.