The Nonobviousness of Inventions: In Search of a Functional Standard

Authors

Kathleen N. McKereghan

Abstract

The Patent Act of 1952 introduced the nonobviousness requirement into patentability analysis. Historically vague, the nonobviousness requirement remains poorly defined. Courts currently use a variety of tests for nonobviousness, none of which correctly reflects the requirement's constitutional and technical role. This Comment proposes a functional standard embodying four elements: constitutional policy, technical advance, logical analysis, and active perspective.

First Page

1061

Recommended Citation

Kathleen N. McKereghan, Comment, The Nonobviousness of Inventions: In Search of a Functional Standard, 66 Wash. L. Rev. 1061 (1991).
Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/wlr/vol66/iss4/6