Reflection

Think about your own invention in terms of the patent law discussed in this topic and ask yourself:

• Does your invention require patenting?
• Can you satisfy all five requirements of patentability?
• Can you search the patent register to make sure your invention is not already patented?
• Remember that if you find patents for similar inventions, you will need to assess whether these may affect the novelty and inventiveness of your own invention.

Next steps

You have now completed this module on Intellectual Property Principles. Take some time to review the laws presented in this module and consider how they might apply to you.

The module Intellectual Property in Commercial Settings explores IP ownership, the commercialisation of IP and contracts, and trademarks.