What is a Patent
A patent is an intellectual property right granted by a country's government as a territorial right for a limited period. It’s a legal document that confirms you are the legal owner of the disclosed material e.g. product, invention, specification and have the exclusive rights to freely pursue it (without competition) within the territory.
A patent is made up of four parts
• A written description.
• Accompanying drawings that correspond with the description.
• A list of claims that define the distinctive technical features of the invention.
• An abstract’ that provides a summary of the technical aspects of the invention.
Patents make it illegal for anyone except the owner or someone with the owner’s permission to make, use, import or sell the patented material in the country where the patent was granted.
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Patents cover products or processes that contain new functional or technical aspects, how they work, how they are made or what they are made of. Such as electronics, medicines, agriculture and transport. Anything in fact from a small detail in an electric switch to an entire power station.
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What do they protect
Patents generally cover products or processes that contain a new functional or technical aspects. They are concerned with how things work, how they are made and what they are made of. Patents cover many different things such as electronics, medicines, agriculture and transport – anything in fact from a small detail in an electric switch to an entire power station.
You can only patent an invention if it is :
• New – not already known to the public before the date a patent is applied for.
• Capable of industrial application – that is, can be made or used in any kind of industry.
• Inventive – not an obvious modification of what is already known.
• Makes a technical contribution.
You cannot patent :
• Scientific or mathematical discoveries, theories or methods.
• Literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works.
• Schemes, rules or methods for performing a mental act.
• Methods of medical treatment.