Pioneer Patent Law and Legal Definition
Pioneer patent refers to a patent that covers a function or a major technological advance never before performed. The technological advance can either be a wholly new device, or subject matter of novelty and importance. Such technological advance shall be a distinct step in the progress of the art, as differentiated from a mere improvement or perfection of what had gone before. A pioneer patent shall not be the first patent published by a national registry. Under the U.S. law, the claims relating to a pioneer patent are entitled to broader interpretation and therefore, should be given a broader range of equivalents.
