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What
can be patented?
What can be patented?
An invention begins as an idea in the mind of the inventor.
It is not necessary to have a working model of your invention in order
to patent your idea. However, an idea that can have no real-world form
or function is not patentable. For example, Einstein's famous equation
E = MC2 is not patentable because it is merely an expression of an abstract
theory. In contrast, a design for a machine that converts mass into energy
(as equated by Einstein) would be patentable. In addition to the types
of machines we typically think of as inventions, the following types of
inventions can also be patented:
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Methods or Processes for producing something tangible
and useful.
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Materials that are not found in nature (Example:
Titanium ore is found in nature. Titanium metal is not.)
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Plant Strains that are not found in nature and
that can be reproduced vegetatively.
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Organisms that have been genetically engineered
or are otherwise not found in nature.
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Genes - Sequences of Nucleotides or Peptides
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Design Patents - aesthetic or decorative characteristics
of an invention that is otherwise patentable.
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