By giving you a patent protection, a government recognizes you as an inventor of an invention. This also gives you the right to stop others from using your invention for any commercial or non-commercial benefits. In this series of blog, we will give you the basic idea of the patent system.
An introduction
The patent system plays an important role in strengthening the economy and scientific advancements in sophisticated nations like USA, Canada, Australia and others. The inventor gets monopolies on his creation for a specific span of time. A patent protects your investment in that invention and also enables you to cash in on the invention. It also promotes research, development and invention that is always beneficial for a nation. If there is no patent protection, no one will invest his resources in new ideas and inventions. A patent can also be used for making a profit by selling. However, a description of your invention should be available to others.
There are few other rights granted to inventors for the protection of their intellectual creativity. However, you need to understand important differences among these rights.
Patent
It is a right that covers useful and new inventions such as a product, machine, process, composition or an improvement in an existing invention or product.
Trademarks
A trademark is a word, design or sound that is used to distinguish services or products of one manufacturer from others.
Copyright
It protects dramatic, musical, artistic or literacy work of a person. This also includes computer programs. It includes sound recording, communication signals and performances of a performer.
Trade Secret
It is another type of protection that enables an inventor to keep the information secret. This information is known as a trade secret. For example, the recipe of Coca Cola is a trade secret. Similarly, Domino’s also holds a trade secret. The advantage of a trade secret is that you need to share the information with others. However, if your trade secret is invented or discovered by an independent person, you have no right to prevent that person from utilizing that trade secret. That person can apply for the patent and also publish the information.
What Can Be Patented?
There are following basic criteria to be satisfied before applying for a patent.
- Novelty: The invention must be first of its kind.
- Utility: It must have some usefulness or utility.
- Inventiveness: The invention is patent able when it is a new development or it improves an existing technology.
Unified Patents 