Novelty and priority

Toshiko Takenaka

Chapter 5 in The Law and Theory of Patents, 2026, pp 92-117 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Novelty is the most fundamental condition of patentability, ensuring that exclusive rights are granted only for inventions that genuinely advance the state of the art. This chapter examines how patent systems define and apply novelty and priority across major jurisdictions, with particular attention to the United States, Europe, and Japan. It analyzes the policy foundations of novelty—balancing incentives for invention and disclosure against the public cost of exclusivity—and explains how different priority rules reflect competing goals of rewarding first inventors versus encouraging early disclosure.

Keywords: Novelty; Anticipation; First-to-file; Prior art; Prior right; Grace period (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035310425
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