nonpatentable
Cannot be owned
Nonpatentable describes inventions, discoveries, or ideas that cannot be granted a patent under intellectual property law.
Something may be nonpatentable because it lacks novelty, is too obvious to those skilled in the field, or falls into categories excluded from patent protection—such as abstract ideas, laws of nature, or naturally occurring substances.
The court ruled that the gene sequence was nonpatentable.
Patent examiners frequently cite prior art to declare applications nonpatentable.
Easily perceived, unmistakable
- prior artPre-existing technical knowledge
- public domainUnprotected creative works
- well-knownFamiliar to many
- establishedFormally set up
commonplace · conventional · routine · standard · published · anticipated · preexisting · documented
Not meeting requirements
- abstract ideaNotion lacking concrete form
- natural phenomenaOccurrences without human cause
- laws of natureFundamental rules governing reality
- mental processActivity of the mind
Cannot be legally secured
- unenforceableLacking legal force
- invalidWithout legal force
- voidWithout legal effect
- barredBlocked from entry
prohibited · disallowed · unregisterable · unclaimable · nonexclusive · public domain · commons · expired
Lacking creative spark
- obviousEasily perceived, unmistakable
- trivialLacking significance or weight
- derivativeFunction's rate of change
- incrementalProceeding by small additions
obvious
Easily perceived, unmistakable
- prior artPre-existing technical knowledge
- public domainUnprotected creative works
- well-knownFamiliar to many
established · commonplace · conventional · routine · standard · published · anticipated · preexisting · documented
ineligible
Not meeting requirements
- abstract ideaNotion lacking concrete form
- natural phenomenaOccurrences without human cause
- laws of natureFundamental rules governing reality
unprotectable
Cannot be legally secured
- unenforceableLacking legal force
- invalidWithout legal force
- voidWithout legal effect
barred · prohibited · disallowed · unregisterable · unclaimable · nonexclusive · public domain · commons · expired · generic
uninventive
Lacking creative spark
- obviousEasily perceived, unmistakable
- trivialLacking significance or weight
- derivativeFunction's rate of change
incremental · routine · predictable · combination · modification
nonpatentableproprietary
Legally owned, restricted use
protected · exclusive · copyrightable · owned · trademarked
patent, patentable, patented, patenting, patents, patentee, patentees, unpatentable, unpatented