While "submarine patents" is a catchy term, they aren't actually relevant to this discussion. Interestingly enough, the article cites a wikipedia discussion th

While "submarine patents" is a catchy term, they aren't actually relevant to this discussion. Interestingly enough, the article cites a wikipedia discussion that explains why. (Short version - submarine patents, secret applications that turn into issued patents years later, don't exist these days because the relevant agencies publish applications within 2 years after application. Yes, there's an exception in US law, but it makes the invention unpatentable in other jurisdictions.)