Tacit Knowledge and Secrecy in the Patent Office

The patent system can be seen as an institutional mechanism designed to align the interests of inventors and the State regarding inventions and innovation. Individual inventors seek to protect their technological rights to maximise profits and establish monopoly power, while society aims to promote the sharing of this knowledge to prevent it from remaining an industrial secret. Accessible information not only reduces efforts' duplication but also encourages further innovation. Therefore, patents are intended to serve as a bridging tool between industrial secrecy and the socially beneficial sharing of knowledge that drives scientific and technological progress. However, the issue is more complex, as much of the knowledge contained in patent documents incorporates implicit features. Often, critical types of information necessary for the commercialisation or industrial application of patented inventions cannot be effectively conveyed through the structure of a patent document, nor can they be easily articulated as clear propositions or narratives. This challenge is compounded by the fact that inventions are not directly replicated or tested at patent offices; their evaluation relies solely on submitted documentation and, at best, drawings. As a result, it can be argued that some level of secrecy is an inherent aspect of the patent system. The degree of this secrecy can vary depending on the technological nature of innovations across different sectors and over time. We argue that there is an urgent need for more efficient patent evaluation systems that can better address these informational challenges.