What is Patentable?

What ideas are patentable?

Helping NJ clients obtain patents

If you have an idea or a discovery, you may wonder if that idea needs to be patented to protect your rights. If you have an original and non-obvious idea, you may want to consider the process of patenting that idea. Knowing what can be patented can save you time and money. The Law Offices of Richard E. Novak, LLC has over 25 years of experience guiding clients through all aspects of intellectual property. When a client asks us if their idea constitutes the need for a patent, our firm will explore all means to ensure that your idea is worth pursuing. If you need an effective and knowledgeable law firm to represent your interests, contact The Law Offices of Richard E. Novak, LLC for a consultation.

What is patentable?

Congress promotes the progress of science and useful arts by granting certain protection to inventors and authors through exclusive rights to their discoveries for a limited time. These are called patents. The three types of patents available are utility patents, design patents, and plant patents. Design patents protect the aesthetics of a product. Plant patents protect new and unique plants founded or engineered. Utility patents are a more complicated matter. When a person wonders if their idea is patentable, they are usually questioning how to define a utility patent. Some ideas that may be considered patentable and fall under the definition of utility include machinery, processes, man-made products, composition of matter, and methods.

What is not patentable?

If an idea is unique and not obvious, it may be patentable. There are some notable exceptions to that rule. Courts have excluded ideas that are obvious, abstract, laws of nature, and natural phenomena from being patented. These laws are quite vague. Before discussing your idea with anyone, you should file a provisional application. If you need our help, contact The Law Offices of Richard E. Novak, LLC.

Contact our NJ intellectual property law firm

If you question the patentability of an idea, you should contact an experienced and knowledgeable intellectual property attorney. The Law Offices of Richard E. Novak, LLC has over 25 years of service to intellectual property clients who need legal guidance through all facets of IP. If you need effective and passionate legal services, our firm is ready to assist. We are honored to guide our clients through all IP matters so they can act in their best interests when protecting their unique ideas and when they would like to explore the financial potential of their discoveries. If you need effective legal support, contact The Law Offices of Richard E. Novak, LLC for an exploratory meeting.