patent eligibility

Patent eligibility refers to the criteria that determine whether an invention can be legally protected by a patent. Generally, to be patentable, an invention must be new, useful, and non-obvious. It should fall into one of three categories: a process (a method of doing something), a machine (a device or apparatus), or a composition of matter (like chemical compounds). Abstract ideas, natural phenomena, and laws of nature are typically not patentable. This framework encourages innovation while ensuring that basic concepts and discoveries remain available for public use.