> However, it still wouldn't count directly as prior art as it was published in Oct 2018. Patents are now first to file and not first to invent (to match the re

> However, it still wouldn't count directly as prior art as it was published in Oct 2018. Patents are now first to file and not first to invent (to match the rest of the world). There is an investor's grace period, as long as your own public prior art disclosure is the earliest, you get 1 year to file even under first to file. First to file refers to people filing for undisclosed inventions, disclosure acts as prior art against anyone else filing, along with the grace period for delaying your filing. Often "wow the company detailing internals at this conference is so generous!" is actually them getting an extra year on the of patent expiration date by taking advantage of the grace period.