Prior art refers to any publicly available document, product, or means of disclosure before the filing date of a patent application (or, where applicable, the priority date). These elements are relevant for assessing the patentability of an invention, i.e., its novelty and inventive step.
Prior art encompasses a wide range of sources, including written documents, scientific publications, oral communications, commercialized products, granted patents, and published patent applications. In practice, examiners at intellectual property offices rely primarily on existing patents, pending applications, and inventor disclosures (e.g., on a website, at a conference, or in a brochure).
It is therefore essential to verify that no disclosure of your invention has occurred before filing your patent or utility certificate application, as any such publication could compromise your invention’s novelty and make it impossible to obtain legal protection.