Community Answer. Patent licensing is true for new products or inventions, providing legal monopoly for typically 20 years and encouraging innovation by allowing inventors to earn without competition.
The short answer is no. You cannot patent an idea, only an implementation. These generally fall into one of the categories of a process, a machine, a manufacture (combination of materials to make something new), or a new composition of matter (chemicals or drugs).
Patentability criteria Your invention must be new, useful and non-obvious. Your invention must be the first of its kind in the world. It must not be known to the general public in writing or in any other form anywhere in the world before the application is filed.
What can be patented? Able to be used (the invention must work and cannot just be a theory) A clear description of how to make and use the invention. New, or “novel” (something not done before) “Not obvious,” as related to a change to something already invented.
The short answer is no. You cannot patent an idea, only an implementation. These generally fall into one of the categories of a process, a machine, a manufacture (combination of materials to make something new), or a new composition of matter (chemicals or drugs).
Technically, it is possible to patent a new use of an existing product. Realistically, it might not be worth applying because you would have to show that the new use is nonobvious. Even if you believe your use to spectacularly nonobvious, expect an uphill battle.
In his book, Common as Air: Revolution, Art, and Ownership, author Lewis Hyde explains that Franklin believed that any claim to own his ideas and inventions could only lead to the kind of disputes that “sour one's Temper and disturb one's Quiet.” It was for that reason, Franklin never took a patent or registered a ...
The Poor Man's Patent Is Obsolete Being the first to invent will no longer save you is someone else filed first. So even if you did write out the idea for your invention and mailed it to yourself, that date would not matter.
Is a different use for an existing product patentable? Technically, it is possible to patent a new use of an existing product.