8 Types of Patents

Is my notion patentable?

A lot of new inventors are doubtful that their concept is eligible for a patent. They should not. Even the most unlikely of suggestions pass through the patent office every single day.

For example, Patent Number 5443036: Strategy of Exercising a Cat

This inventor patented, "A strategy for inducing cats to physical exercise consists of directing a beam of invisible light produced by a hand-held laser apparatus onto the floor or wall or other opaque surface in the vicinity of the cat, then moving the laser so as to trigger the bright pattern of light to move in an irregular way fascinating to cats, and to any other animal with a chase instinct."

Fundamentally, he patented pointing a laser beam at a wall for the amusement of his cat. Valid, groundbreaking and life-altering...not so a lot. Patentable nonetheless.

So what makes the distinction? What kinds of suggestions can be patented? And what cannot?

Today, you'll understand the distinction.

Patents - "Anything below the sun made by the hand of man..."

The common rule of patents is that they should be developed by man. That's a pretty broad statement, so let's take a look at a brief list with explanations.

1. Mechanical devices and articles of manufacture - The dictionary defines a mechanical device as "a mechanism consisting of a device that works on mechanical principles". Pretty creative, huh? Anyways, if you can make a machine that is new and valuable, you can patent it.

2. Processes - A process is just a way of carrying out items. If you can make a improved method for doing some thing, you have a beneficial candidate for a patent.

3. Chemical compositions - Various new drugs fall under this category. Arranging chemicals to solve challenges and then patenting them is a multi-billion dollar business.

4. Pc programs - Amazon.com practically cornered the market place when it patented the 1-Click ordering method. Due to the fact it owns the patent, no other website can use their proprietary system with out paying a royalty and obtaining permission first.

5. Genetic organisms - This is a neat 1 and still up for debate in this new era of uncoding DNA.

6. Improvements - Do you have to have a brand new thought to get a patent? If not, do not despair. The vast majority of patents are for existing concepts that are improved.

7. Styles (Style Patent - surface ornamentation) - Keeping with the improvement theme, you do not actually have to make some thing better to get a patent. You just have to make it look several.

8. Asexually reproduced plants (Plant Patent) - For the botanist/inventor in you.

That's about it. That seems like it covers every thing, but there are a few exceptions. For example you can't patent:

-- Laws of nature (E=MC2)

-- Physical phenomena (gravity)

-- Abstract suggestions

-- Inventions which are not helpful or not operable (such as perpetual motion machines)

And of course if somebody else owns your concept already, you can't patent it (that is why it's consistently a excellent concept to do a patent search before undertaking the journey to get a patent).