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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.

The patent is allowed to "surface" only after an industry has innocently adopted the technology, at which point the inventor demands massive royalties or files infringement lawsuits. III. Impact on Innovation and Competition 1229009

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