Frequently Asked Questions

What are the criteria for patentability in most countries?

The criteria for patentability in most countries are based on a set of requirements that an invention must meet to be eligible for patent protection. These requirements are generally centered around the concepts of usefulness, novelty, and non-obviousness. Firstly, the invention must be useful, meaning it provides some functional benefit. This could be anything from a new machine that improves manufacturing efficiency to a new process that enhances the quality of a product. Secondly, the invention must be novel, which means it is something new and not previously known or used by others. This is where a thorough patent search comes into play. It is crucial to ensure that a similar patent has not already been issued. If another patent exists and your invention is not novel, patent protection will be denied. Thirdly, the invention must be non-obvious. This means that the invention cannot be something that a person with typical skill in the relevant industry would already know about. The court will examine differences between the invention and existing industry knowledge to determine this. In addition to these general criteria, the invention must fall into one of the four general patent classes: articles of manufacture, processes and methods, compositions of matter, and machines.