ANTEDATING OF A PRIOR-ART REFERENCE

antedating  of a prior-art reference.Patents. The removal  of a publication, a U.S. patent, or a

foreign  patent  cited  as  prior  art  against  the  application  by  filing  an  affidavit  or  declaration

establishing the applicant’s completion  of the invention  in this country, or in another NAFTA  or

WTO member country, before the effective date of the cited reference. • The term applies only to

U.S. patent applications. An issued patent may also antedate a prior-art reference if the conception

predates the prior art and the inventor used due diligence in reducing the concept to practice. —

Also termed antedating a reference; swearing behind a prior-art reference; carrying back the date

of invention. [Cases: Patents    62(1).] [Blacks Law 8th]