United States Code/Title 35/Chapter 11/Section 120

'''Section 120. Benefit of earlier filing date in the United States'''

An application for patent for an invention disclosed in the manner provided by the first paragraph of of this title in an application previously filed in the United States, or as provided by  of this title, which is filed by an inventor or inventors named in the previously filed application shall have the same effect, as to such invention, as though filed on the date of the prior application, if filed before the patenting or abandonment of or termination of proceedings on the first application or on an application similarly entitled to the benefit of the filing date of the first application and if it contains or is amended to contain a specific reference to the earlier filed application. No application shall be entitled to the benefit of an earlier filed application under this section unless an amendment containing the specific reference to the earlier filed application is submitted at such time during the pendency of the application as required by the Director. The Director may consider the failure to submit such an amendment within that time period as a waiver of any benefit under this section. The Director may establish procedures, including the payment of a surcharge, to accept an unintentionally delayed submission of an amendment under this section.

Source
(July 19, 1952, ch. 950, 66 Stat. 800; Pub. L. 94-131, Sec. 9, Nov. 14, 1975, 89 Stat. 691; Pub. L. 98-622, title I, Sec. 104(b), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3385; Pub. L. 106-113, div. B, Sec. 1000(a)(9) [title IV, Sec. 4503(b)(1)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A-563.)

Historical and Revision Notes
This section represents present law not expressed in the statute, except for the added requirement that the first application must be specifically mentioned in the second.

1999
Pub. L. 106-113 inserted at end “No application shall be entitled to the benefit of an earlier filed application under this section unless an amendment containing the specific reference to the earlier filed application is submitted at such time during the pendency of the application as required by the Director. The Director may consider the failure to submit such an amendment within that time period as a waiver of any benefit under this section. The Director may establish procedures, including the payment of a surcharge, to accept an unintentionally delayed submission of an amendment under this section.”

Effective Date of 1999 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 106-113 effective Nov. 29, 2000, and applicable only to applications (including international applications designating the United States) filed on or after that date, see section 1000(a)(9) [title IV, Sec. 4508] of Pub. L. 106-113, as amended, set out as a note under section 10 of this title.

1984
Pub. L. 98-622 substituted “which is filed by an inventor or inventors named in the previously filed application” for “by the same inventor”.

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 98-622 applicable to all United States patents granted before, on, or after Nov. 8, 1984, and to all applications for United States patents pending on or filed after that date, except as otherwise provided, see section 106 of Pub. L. 98-622, set out as a note under section 103 of this title.

1975
Pub. L. 94-131 inserted “, or as provided by section 363 of this title,” after “filed in the United States”.

Effective Date of 1975 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 94-131 effective Jan. 24, 1978, and applicable on and after that date to patent applications filed in the United States and to international applications, where applicable, see section 11 of Pub. L. 94-131, set out as an Effective Date note under section 351 of this title.