| Getting a patent sounds easy, but in reality it | | | | the invention. An example might be a red toy car. |
| isn’t. There are many hoops you must jump | | | | A blue toy car would be an obvious extension of |
| through to get your patent approved. Here are | | | | a red toy car. However a toy car that |
| four components you must have included to get | | | | transforms into a robot is not an obvious |
| your patent approved. | | | | extension of a red toy car. |
| The invention must be novel | | | | The invention must be described simply and |
| Being novel means that it can not be known by | | | | completely, so a skillful person could duplicate it |
| others or used by others before the inventor | | | | A person with skill in the knowledge area must be |
| claims to have invented it. It also means that the | | | | able to understand the invention completely, in |
| invention can not be patented or publicly disclosed | | | | order to have it to be patentable. If fear of |
| before the inventor's claimed invention. The | | | | having the invention stolen motivates the inventor |
| patent must be applied for within 1 year after | | | | to leave out essential elements of the invention, |
| public disclosure or use. | | | | then it is not patentable. This person would be |
| The invention must not be obvious | | | | better served by keeping the invention a trade |
| The proposed invention can not be obvious to a | | | | secret. |
| person with average skill in the knowledge area of | | | | |