What does it mean when something is "anticipated" in patent terms?

In patent law, when something is described as "anticipated," it refers to the notion that a prior art reference teaches every aspect of the claimed invention. Anticipation occurs when all features of a claimed invention are found in a single prior art reference, meaning that the invention lacks novelty. This is crucial because, for a patent to be granted, the invention must be new and not previously disclosed to the public. The claim must include every essential element as set forth in the prior art reference to establish anticipation.

Understanding anticipation is significant in the patent examination process because if an invention is anticipated by an earlier patent or publication, it cannot be patented. The other options do not reflect this specific definition: something being unknown does not address its disclosure, while information supporting a patent application does not necessarily deal with anticipation, and a temporary feature suggests a lack of permanence which is not relevant to the concept of anticipation. Therefore, the term directly relates to the completeness and sufficiency of the prior art to cover the claimed invention.