| What are the four essential requirements for an | | | | extension of a red toy car. |
| accurate patent definition? These same four | | | | The invention must be described simply and |
| things are also necessary requirements to file a | | | | completely, so a skillful person could duplicate it |
| patent that will be of value and protect your | | | | A person with skill in the knowledge area must be |
| invention from theft. They are: | | | | able to understand the invention completely, in |
| The invention must be novel | | | | order to have it to be patentable. If fear of |
| Being novel means that it can not be known by | | | | having the invention stolen motivates the inventor |
| others or used by others before the inventor | | | | to leave out essential elements of the invention, |
| claims to have invented it. It also means that the | | | | then it is not patentable. This person would be |
| invention can not be patented or publicly disclosed | | | | better served by keeping the invention a trade |
| before the inventor's claimed invention. The | | | | secret. |
| patent must be applied for within 1 year after | | | | The patent claims must be clear and specific |
| public disclosure or use. | | | | The patent claims are the most difficult, but the |
| The invention must not be obvious | | | | most important part of a patent. They are the |
| The proposed invention can not be obvious to a | | | | intellectual property that you are requesting the |
| person with average skill in the knowledge area of | | | | patent office to protect. These claims must be |
| the invention. An example might be a red toy car. | | | | specific and clear, otherwise the patent office will |
| A blue toy car would be an obvious extension of | | | | not accept them. Even if the patent office does |
| a red toy car. However a toy car that | | | | accept them, they must be defensible in court. |
| transforms into a robot is not an obvious | | | | |