Patent Foundations
What a patent is, what it takes to get one, who owns it, and what it is really worth.
8 lessons · 24 min
Start the course
3 minPatents are a deal between inventors and the public
A patent trades a temporary right to exclude others for telling the public how your invention works.
3 minA patent lets you stop others, for a limited time
A patent is a right to exclude, not a permit to sell, and its clock usually starts earlier than people expect.
3 minFour statutes decide whether an invention can be patented
Sections 101, 102, 103 and 112 ask whether it is the right kind of thing, whether it is new, whether it is more than obvious, and whether you taught it.
3 minEligibility now runs on two tracks
What passes an examiner may still fail in court, so claim and describe a concrete technical improvement either way.
3 minOnly humans invent, and AI counts as a tool
Name every human who conceived the invention and no one else, because getting this wrong can invalidate the patent.
3 minRights start with the inventor and move only in writing
Get present-tense written assignments from everyone before they contribute, because one unsigned co-inventor can block enforcement.
3 minMost patents are worth little, and a few are worth a lot
A patent is usually a signal, deterrent or bargaining chip long before it is a lawsuit, so concentrate effort where value concentrates.
3 minSix myths that cost inventors money
Patent pending does not protect you, no worldwide patent exists, a mailed envelope is worthless, and a firm that promises too much is a warning sign.
The Academy is general education, not legal advice, and reading it doesn't create an attorney-client relationship. Patent law and fees change, so check the linked sources and have a registered patent attorney or agent review your situation before you file. Obsidyan sells patent software, including AI drafting tools, so weigh what these lessons say about AI tools with that in mind.