This is quite common in my field (defense technology). The Department of
Defense can issue a secrecy order for patents that involve sensitive
technologies. Each secrecy order lasts one year and thus must be renewed
annually. Once the technology is no longer deemed sensitive the DoD
notifies the PTO that it will no longer renew the secrecy order and the PTO
proceeds with processing the application.
As no patent can be granted until it is published, there are no "classified
patents", but there are classified patent applications.
Other countries do the same thing. In the last few years there has been a
flood of declassified DE patents (including US, GB and FR documents that
were held classified at German request).
There may, of course, be other reasons for these submarine patents, but this
is the one I am familiar with.
You should be able to get some idea of the reason for the delay by checking
out the pair site at http://pair.uspto.gov/
That will give you the file history.
Hope this helps.
Lee Ness
Carlton Group Inc.
----- Original Message -----
From: Jill Ann Hurst <jahurst@delphi.com>
To: <PIUG-L@derwent.tecc.co.uk>
Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 1999 11:21 PM
Subject: 1972 patent granted in 1999
> As of the end of September 1999, six patents granted this year were filed
> in the 1970s and 42 patents granted this year were filed in the 1980s.
One
> patent granted in September was filed in 1972. What can cause delays like
> this?
>
> Jill
>
>
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>
> Jill Ann Hurst Editor, ipFrontline
> Tel: 716-388-0881 jahurst@delphi.com
> Fax: 716-388-9849 http://www.ip.com
>
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>
>
>