What does 35 U.S.C. § 102(c) state about joint research agreements?

The provision under 35 U.S.C. § 102(c) is specifically concerned with joint research agreements and addresses the concept of common ownership regarding the subject matter that has been disclosed through such agreements. In this context, when parties enter into a joint research agreement, any inventions that are made jointly under that agreement can lead to a determination that the parties share ownership rights over those inventions.

Establishing common ownership is critical because it impacts the ability to claim patent rights without concern for the prior art that might affect eligibility for patentability. This means that if the parties involved in the joint research agreement subsequently disclose their inventions, it is recognized that all parties have a claim to the inventions as a result of their collaborative effort.

The other options do not accurately capture the essence of what 35 U.S.C. § 102(c) specifies. While joint research agreements may influence the scope of prior art, they do not negate prior art claims entirely. Additionally, the law does not explicitly state anything about allowing unlimited patent applications or requiring a larger team, as these elements are not directly addressed in this particular section.