The effective filing date of an application is important in defining what?

The effective filing date of an application is critical in establishing the prior art against which the invention will be measured. This date determines what prior art is relevant to the examination of the application for patentability. In general, only prior art that is publicly available before the effective filing date can be used to reject the application, as it sets the cutoff for determining what knowledge or inventions were already known at that time.

Understanding the effective filing date is essential because it influences whether an invention is considered novel and non-obvious in light of existing information. If material was publicly disclosed after the effective filing date, it cannot be used to demonstrate that the claims of the application are unpatentable. This makes the effective filing date a significant factor in evaluating the patentability of the claimed invention and ensuring proper assessment against the prior art.