Section 101 of the U.S. Patent Act

Section 101 of the U.S. Patent Act defines what types of inventions can be patented. It states that a patent can be granted for any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any improvement thereof. Essentially, it protects inventions that are novel, useful, and non-obvious. However, it does not cover abstract ideas, laws of nature, or natural phenomena. This section establishes the foundation for determining eligibility for patent protection, guiding inventors on what kinds of innovations they can seek to patent.