What constitutes a publication?

Many factors determine whether a written description of the invention constitutes a publication under patent law. Depending on the circumstances, the following may constitute publication: a manuscript published in a journal or book, a thesis (after it is catalogued), a funded grant application which discloses the invention and is published, a published abstract which discloses the invention, a class handout which becomes publicly available or any description of the invention which is published on-line.