AutoPatentAP

Prior-art date ranges now display in the comparison sidebar

2026-07-25

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When comparing your draft against prior art, timing context matters as much as textual overlap. Starting 2026-07-25, the AutoPatent comparison sidebar displays the filing date and publication date range for every pinned reference directly beside its title. You no longer need to open the full document to check whether a reference predates your priority date or falls inside a grace period. The date range appears as a compact YYYY-MM-DD to YYYY-MM-DD span, color-coded to indicate whether the reference was published before or after your earliest filing date. This is a workflow improvement for timeline assessment during prior-art review; it does not constitute a legal opinion on novelty or obviousness. Inventors should still confirm critical dates with qualified patent counsel before making filing or freedom-to-operate decisions. Contact: sapsap@qq.com.