A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention. In other words, a patent is an exclusive right to a product or a process that generally provides a new way of doing something, or offers a new technical solution to a problem.
While ideas alone cannot be patented, you can obtain a patent on an invention that was developed from an idea. Note this: if you pursue a patent, an invention must be actually produced, or at minimum, a detailed description of the invention has to be included with the patent application.
The advantages of patenting a manufacturing process In return for disclosing your inventive manufacturing process in a patent, you're able to prevent others from using the same process for a period of up to 20 years.
Below are some tips for finding patents by product: ​Search the name of the product's inventor in patent databases, if known. Search the product's name in a trademark database to identify the owner. Check product label, manuals, or packaging. Check company website.
A utility patent covers the creation of a new or improved—and useful—product, process, or machine. A utility patent, also known as a "patent for invention," prohibits other individuals or companies from making, using, or selling the invention without authorization.
Patents may be granted for inventions in any field of technology, from an everyday kitchen utensil to a nanotechnology chip. An invention can be a product – such as a chemical compound, or a process, for example – a process for producing a specific chemical compound.
Patent Examples: 10 Patented Inventions That Shaped Technology and Culture GPS. The Wright Brothers' “Flying Machine" ... Telephone. Apple iPhone. Rubik's Cube. LEGO® Minifigure. Michael Jackson's Anti-Gravity Shoes. Coca-Cola Bottle.
In United States patent law, a method, also called "process", is one of the four principal categories of things that may be patented through "utility patents". The other three are a machine, an article of manufacture (also termed a manufacture), and a composition of matter.
Format of a Patent Application The Specification. The Title. The Description. The Claims. The Drawings. The Abstract. Sample Specifications. Minimum Requirements for a Filing Date.
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.