PATENTS WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO OBTAIN A PATENT Utility, Design, and Plant Patents Patent Terms and Expiration Four Types of Applications Why File a Provisional Application Understanding That a Patent Grants a "Negative Right" WHAT CAN BE PATENTED AND BY WHOM Ideas, Inventions, and Patentable Inventions The Requirement of Statutory Subject Matter The Requirement of Originality of Inventorship The Requirement of Novelty The Requirement of Utility The Requirement of Nonobviousness Statutory Bar Requirements PREPARINGTOAPPLYFOR A PATENT . | CHAPTER 76 PATENTS David A. Burge David A. Burge Co. . Cleveland Ohio Benjamin D. Burge Chips Technologies Inc. San Jose California WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO OBTAIN A PATENT 2248 Functional Language in Claims 2257 Utility Design and Plant Product-by-Process Patents 2248 Claims 2257 Patent Terms and Claim Format 2257 Expiration Four Types of 2248 Executing the Application 2258 Applications Why File a Provisional 2249 Patent and Trademark Office Fees 2258 Application 2249 Small Entity Status 2259 Understanding That a Patent Grants a Negative Express Mail Filing 2260 Right 2249 PROSECUTINGAPENDING PATENT APPLICATION 2260 WHAT CAN BE PATENTED Patent Pending 2260 AND BY WHOM Ideas Inventions and 2250 Secrecy of Pending Applications 2260 Patentable Inventions The Requirement of 2250 Duty of Candor Initial Review of an 2260 Statutory Subject Matter The Requirement of 2250 Application Response to an Office 2261 Originality of Inventorship The Requirement of Novelty The Requirement of 2251 2252 Action Reconsideration in View of the Filing of a Response 2261 2262 Utility The Requirement of 2253 Interviewing the Examiner 2263 Nonobviousness Statutory Bar 2253 Restriction and Election Requirements 2263 Requirements 2254 Double-Patenting Rejections 2263 PREPARING TO APPLY FOR Patent Issuance 2264 A PATENT 2255 Safeguarding the Original The Patentability Search Putting the Invention in Proper Perspective 2255 2255 Patent Document Continuation Divisional and Continuation-in-Part 2264 Preparing the Application Enablement Best Mode Description and 2256 Applications Maintaining a Chain of Patent Applications 2264 2264 Distinctness Requirements 2256 Mechanical Engineers Handbook 2nd ed. Edited by Myer Kutz. .