​DEFINIT​​​​ION OF PATENT

A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention, which is a product or a process that provides a new way of doing something, or offers a new technical solution to a problem.

DEFINITION OF UTILITY INNOVATION​

A utility innovation is an exclusive right granted for a “minor” invention which does not require to satisfy the test of inventiveness as required of a patent.

PATENTABLE INVENTIONS​

• New, which means that the invention has not been publicly disclosed in any form, anywhere in the world;
• Involve an inventive step, that is to say the invention must not be obvious to someone with knowledge and experience in the technological field of the invention; and
• Industrially applicable, meaning it can be mass produced.​

NON-PATENTABLE INVENTIONS

• Discoveries, scientific theories and mathematical methods;​
• Plant or animal varieties or essentially biological processes for the production of plants or animals, other than man-made living micro- organisms, micro-biological processes and the products of such micro-organism processes;
• Schemes, rules or methods for doing business, performing purely mental acts or playing games;
• Methods for the treatment of human or animal body by surgery or therapy, and diagnostic methods practiced on the human or animal body.

IMPORTANCE OF PATENT REGISTRATION​

• To exploit the patented invention
• To assign or transmit the patent
  

DURATION OF PATENT

A patent is protected 20 years from the date of filing.

DURATION OF UTILITY INNOVATION​

A utility innovation is protected 10 + 5 + 5 years from the date of filing subject to use.

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