
5.8 Let’s Parte!
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e ve lters we identied as falling outside the patent examiner’s eld of view
can be so dysfunctional as to reach the point of nonfunction. ese lters are
usually all but open windows. ey are essentially nonlters. ey will pass
almost every patent application. e eective ling date lter oen does not have
the required resolution to spot eective ling date issues, so it can be essentially
an open window (think about the thinly enabled provisional patent application
that never gets scrutiny). In fact, the eective ling date lter won’t ever stop a
patent from issuing; it just won’t get the eective ling date right ...