What are the standards for an invention to be patentable?
First, the invention must be useful. Second, the invention must be new or novel. An invention is novel as long as there is no prior patent, publication or existing product that contains all the elements of your invention, or which, if combined, as suggested by the prior art itself, make the invention obvious. Lastly, the invention must not be obvious. If it would be obvious to modify an existing product, or if it would be obvious to combine two or more existing products, to come up with your invention, then your invention is obvious and not patentable. If it is not obvious to modify a prior product or if it is not obvious to combine prior products to come up with your invention, then your invention is not obvious and is patentable.
