Forced out of the Closet: The Impact of the American Inventors Protection Act on the Timing of Patent Disclosure
利用1976-1996年美国专利数据，研究发现2000年11月后专利申请在18个月后公开，而非授权时公开，主要影响重大发明，加速知识扩散，并模拟了对专利授权的潜在影响。
Beginning in November 2000, patent applications filed in the United States are disclosed after 18 months, rather than when the patent is granted. Using U.S. patent data from 1976-1996, we find that major inventions are most likely to be affected, as they take longer to go through the application process. We provide evidence that this change will result in faster knowledge diffusion, and conclude with a simulation of the law's potential effect on patent grants.