Can a patent be too broad?

If your claim set is overly broad, you may inadvertently cause your patent application to be rejected for not satisfying one or more of the legal requirements for patentability.

What is the most profitable patent?

1. Improvement in Telegraphy. The patent for the telephone is often considered to be the most valuable patent in history.

How broad can patent claims be?

Patent are usually made up of independent and dependent claims. One claim is stated as broadly as possible (the “independent claim”) and then followed successively with narrower claims designed to specifically recite possible variations (“dependent claims”).

What are the weirdest patents?

This list is the second in a series – our 2017 list looked at 6 weird and wonderful patents from the last two centuries.

  • Moustache Guard (1876)
  • Device for Waking Persons from Sleep (1882)
  • Animal Ear Protectors (1980)
  • Anti-eating Face Mask (1982)
  • Greenhouse Helmet (1986)
  • Sled Pants (1996)

How are patents broad?

12.25 In the research context, patents may also be considered ‘broad’ because they cover a generally applicable research technique or resource. Such patents are better referred to as ‘foundational’ inventions because the subject matter may facilitate a wide range of further potential discoveries and inventions.

What is a broad claim?

A broad claim refers to a statement in a patent that describes general variations of the invention. Broad claims are also written descriptions of how to make and use an invention. A broad claim must be interpreted with respect to the definitions provided in the specification of a patent.

Should a patent be broad?

The claims may be broad or narrow in their scope. Most patent agents would prefer to draft claims that are as broad as possible to cover all aspects of the invention found in the detailed description, its equivalents or likely future versions.

Can you sue someone for patenting your idea?

Ideas alone are not protected under intellectual property law. There are two primary ways that you would be able to sue the company for stealing your idea. The first is if you did, in fact, reduce the idea to a protectable form before telling the company about it.