What are some common patent terms?
Patents are legal documents that grant inventors exclusive rights to their inventions. In Washington, patent law works by preventing others from making, using, selling, or importing an invention without permission. To enforce these rights, there are a number of important terms that a patent applicant must become familiar with. One important term associated with patent law is “patentability.” This is the process of determining if an invention is eligible for a patent, which requires that the invention be novel, useful, and non-obvious. The term “patentability search” is also important. This is the process of searching through existing patent documents to make sure that a similar invention has not already been patented. This is a crucial step for an inventor and will determine whether an invention is protected by a patent or not. Another important term is “patent application.” This is the process of filing a formal request to the government for a patent on an invention. This application typically includes detailed descriptions and drawings of the invention, as well as legal arguments to support the application. The term “patent prosecution” is also important and refers to the process of obtaining a patent. This typically involves responding to and negotiating with the government over the course of the application review process. Finally, the term “patent infringement” is important as it outlines the penalties for making, using, or selling an invention without permission. This can lead to significant fines and even criminal charges in some cases. Overall, patent law is complicated and having a basic understanding of the terms associated with it is critical for inventors looking to protect their inventions.
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