Publication of Patent Applications

A patent applicant must provide a complete description in their patent specification of how his or her invention is put into practice. During the patent application process, the patent specification is made available to the public by being published. In most countries, publication of a patent application usually takes place 18 months from the earliest date that an application was first filed for the invention. Singapore has a similar provision.

Publication is a necessary part of the patent system. Patent holders are granted a monopoly for their invention (usually 20 years from the filing date of a complete application) in exchange for providing a complete disclosure of how their invention is put into practice. When the patent expires, the invention disclosed in the patent specification is free for anyone to use. Accordingly, the patent system rewards inventors for disclosing their inventions in the public domain and encourages innovation through the exchange of ideas. The purpose of