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Shifting the patent term to 20 years from the filing date (rather than 17 years from the issuance date) removes the incentive to delay.

In the world of intellectual property, transparency is usually the goal. However, some inventors use "submarine patents" to turn the legal system into a trap. 1229009

Usually, companies can "design around" a known patent. With submarine patents, there is no public disclosure to design around until it is too late. IV. Legal Responses and Modern Reforms Shifting the patent term to 20 years from

True innovation thrives on clarity; by closing the loopholes that allow submarine patents to exist, the legal system protects the honest inventor and the competitive market alike. ARTICLE - Houston Law Review Usually, companies can "design around" a known patent

Submarine patents undermine the spirit of the patent system by stifling innovation and creating legal uncertainty, necessitating modern reforms to ensure "submarine" tactics remain a relic of the past. II. The Mechanism of the "Submerge"

By filing a series of "continuing applications," the inventor keeps the patent "alive" and unissued in the patent office for decades.

Courts have used this doctrine to strike down patents where the delay in prosecution was deemed unreasonable and prejudicial to the public. V. Conclusion