5 things you need to know about
Patents:
1. A patent protects new inventions and
covers how they work, what they do, how they do it, what they are made of and
how they are made.
2. It is a monopoly right for a product or
process, granted by the State as a territorial right for a limited period.
3. To satisfy the terms
of the Patents Act 1977 and, therefore, the
IPO, the invention must:
(a) be entirely new. i.e. it must not have
been disclosed in any form and must not be in the public domain;
(b) take an inventive step that is not
obvious to someone with knowledge and experience in that field; and
(c) be capable of being made or used
practically in some kind of industry.
4. Not everything can be patented. Examples of items which are specifically
excluded from patent protection in the UK are:-
(a) a
discovery, scientific theory or mathematical method;
(b) a
literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work or any other aesthetic work;
(c) a
way of performing a mental act, playing a game or doing business;
(d) anything
against public policy or morality;
(e) the
presentation of information; and
(f) an
animal or plant variety.
5. To protect yourself prior to filing for
a patent, any discussions or disclosures to third parties should be done under
the protection of a Confidentiality Agreement if necessary.
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