Patent Basics

“A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention, which is a product or a process that provides, in general, a new way of doing something, or offers a new technical solution to a problem. To get a patent, technical information about the invention must be disclosed to the public in a patent application.”

– World Intellectual Property Organisation

In order to get patent protection, your invention must be:

• New. Your invention must be the first in the world
• Useful. Your invention must serve a purpose or provide a solution
• Inventive. Your invention must not be obvious to persons in the industry in which your invention is intended to be used

Patent rights are territorial. The exclusive rights obtained from obtaining a grant of patent is only applicable in the country in which the patent was granted.