4
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to patent a new general method of optimizing some industrial processes?
A U.S. answer. Some things in the field you describe are patentable in the U.S. and some are not. Unfortunately, above novelty and non-obviousness, the current huge hurdle is abstractness. The law on ...
- 27.8k
3
votes
Is it possible to patent a new general method of optimizing some industrial processes?
My answer refers to European patent practice. Most probably you will not be able to get a patent granted for the method/algorithm if you do not refer it to a particular industrial application. Without ...
- 2,254
3
votes
Can a YouTube video be submitted as prior art?
Yes, it can. I did a quick search and found over 100 patents with a youtube.com prior art citation. The earliest citations I found are in US 7783710, US 7844507, and US 7934725.
- 31
3
votes
How to apply for a patent in the US/EU?
Assumption: A technology based patent application will be submitted to United States Patent and Trademark office (USPTO).
You need first investigate prior art. Essentially you have to validate if ...
2
votes
Can I patent this process or workflow?
This is a challenging question due to some recent court cases, in particular the Alice decision (Supreme Court decision) (Wikipedia Article). Both of these are highly recommended reading prior to ...
- 1,753
2
votes
My old patented invention appears to be patented again
Any claim that covers embodiments rendered obvious by the description of the previous patent is invalid.
At first glance it appears that the newer patent adds a lot of constraints to the structure; ...
- 1,021
2
votes
Is it practical for a novice to successfully file a patent without hiring a patent lawyer?
An alternative not yet mentioned is to consult with your university's tech transfer office. You should do so under confidentiality agreement or otherwise ensure that they will keep any disclosure ...
- 21
2
votes
Accepted
Am I getting a response for Rescission of Previous Nonpublication Request?
Thanks for all the comments. Answering my own question. I first called the number of the Pre-Grant Publication Division at (703)605-4283 according to the SB/36 form, but that number turned out already ...
- 121
2
votes
Altered Patents
Would someone be able to patent a process in which the outcome may be the same as an already patented process?
Yes, as long as the new method was novel and non-obvious. In this case, your patent ...
- 6,168
2
votes
Is it possible to patent an operational workflow in EU?
It depends on what kind of operational workflow you want to be patented.
In short, a workflow/process/method is patentable, if it has a tangible / measurable result, like a pizza recipe (take a dough, ...
- 454
1
vote
Question about joint patent ownership
Your basic assumptions is flat wrong in any realistic case. Yes, in the case of joint inventors they have separate ability to practice and license the invention with no need to coordinate or transfer ...
- 27.8k
1
vote
I created an object that I never patented but someone else did I don't know
No and none. And mailing something to yourself was never worth anything.
Under the previous U.S. patent law (anything filed before that portion of the AIA took effect in March 16, 2013), one could ...
- 27.8k
1
vote
I created an object that I never patented but someone else did I don't know
There are a couple of things to understand here:
A patent is kind of an exchange between the public and the inventor. The basic legal theory is the inventor agrees to share their very special ...
- 101
1
vote
Filing to expand on already filed utility patent, how do I go about this?
There are no "addendum" to a patent application. You have a couple of options. One is to file a provisional and later file a non-provisional that could be a CIP (Continuation in Part) to the current ...
- 27.8k
1
vote
Accepted
Can an improvement be made on a patent and then made in the public domain?
You question is a bit confusing, but I'll try to answer my interpretation. If you make an improvement to an existing patented device, you could potentially obtain a patent on the improvement, but if ...
- 10.1k
1
vote
Can a method of teaching based on research be patented
A method of teaching is likely to be rejected as unpatentable under §101 (commonly used to reject software and business methods, but it seems like teaching would be treated similarly). @EricShain is ...
- 171
1
vote
Accepted
Can I patent a process in US being from another country?
It depends. Phrasing this as if your invention were a thing, most patent claims are made of of existing "parts". How the parts are arranged and coupled relative to each other to function is usually ...
- 27.8k
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