What are the requirements for patentability?

In Washington State, there are several requirements for an invention to be patented. To begin with, an invention has to be novel - that means that it has to be something new, never seen before. It also has to be useful. This means that it has to be able to be put to some use, even a small one. The invention also has to be nonobvious - that means that it has to be different enough from existing inventions that someone with knowledge in the field would not consider it obvious. Finally, in order to be patentable, the invention must be disclosed to the public. This means that someone with knowledge in the field should be able to understand it by looking at the description. In Washington State, if all of these requirements are met, then the inventor will likely be able to get a patent for the invention. A patent gives the inventor the exclusive right to make, use and sell the invention. This means that no one else can make, use, or sell the invention without the permission (usually in the form of a license) from the patent owner. It is important to note that a patent does not necessarily give the inventor the right to make, use and sell the invention - it gives them the right to prevent others from doing so.

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