Initial Patentability Assessment

A new inventor meets with a patent attorney or agent to discuss their invention and receive an initial assessment of its novelty, non-obviousness, and industrial applicability, and whether it's worth pursuing a patent.

Dialogue

Listen and follow along with the conversation

patent_attorney (Male)

Good morning, Mr. Chen. Thanks for coming in. Please tell me about your invention. What problem does it solve and how does it work?

inventor (Female)

Good morning. My invention is a new type of biodegradable packaging material. It's designed to decompose much faster than current biodegradable plastics, addressing the issue of environmental pollution more effectively.

patent_attorney (Male)

That sounds very promising. Could you elaborate on the key components and the unique process involved in its creation? We need to ascertain its novelty and non-obviousness.

inventor (Female)

Certainly. Its novelty lies in a specific combination of plant-based polymers and a proprietary catalyst that accelerates the decomposition without compromising structural integrity. We've optimized the molecular structure to achieve this.

patent_attorney (Male)

Interesting. And in terms of industrial applicability, what are the potential markets or real-world applications you envision for this material?

inventor (Female)

I see it being used in food packaging, single-use consumer goods, and even agricultural films. The global market for sustainable packaging is immense, and our faster degradation rate offers a significant competitive edge.

patent_attorney (Male)

Based on what you've described, it appears to meet the initial criteria for novelty, non-obviousness, and industrial applicability. The proprietary catalyst and optimized molecular structure are key for distinguishing it from prior art. I'd recommend we proceed with a comprehensive patentability search.

inventor (Female)

That's excellent news! What's the next step after the search?

patent_attorney (Male)

Once the search is complete, we'll review the results together. If the findings remain positive, we can then proceed to draft the patent application, ensuring we clearly define the claims and protect your innovative aspects.

inventor (Female)

Sounds like a solid plan. Thank you for your time and guidance, Mr. Chen.

patent_attorney (Male)

You're most welcome. We'll be in touch soon with the search results. Have a good day.

Vocabulary

Essential words and phrases from the dialogue

invention

A new device, method, or idea created to solve a problem; in this dialogue, it's used to describe the inventor's new material.

biodegradable

Able to break down naturally by bacteria or other living things without harming the environment; useful when talking about eco-friendly products.

novelty

The quality of being new and original, a key requirement for patents; here, it refers to what makes the invention unique.

non-obviousness

The idea that an invention is not something obvious or easily guessed by experts; it's a legal term in patent discussions to ensure true innovation.

industrial applicability

The practical usefulness of an invention in industry or real-world settings; in patents, it means the invention can be made or used commercially.

proprietary

Owned or controlled by a specific person or company, often kept as a secret; used here for the special catalyst that belongs to the inventor.

catalyst

A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without being used up; in this context, it's part of the invention to make decomposition faster.

prior art

Existing inventions or knowledge before the current one; patent attorneys check this to see if something is truly new.

Key Sentences

Important phrases to remember and practice

Please tell me about your invention. What problem does it solve and how does it work?

This is a polite way to ask for details about a new idea, using questions to encourage explanation; useful in professional meetings to gather information, with 'what' clauses for specific inquiries.

That sounds very promising.

A positive response showing interest and encouragement; 'sounds' expresses opinion based on hearing something, common in business talks to build rapport without committing.

Could you elaborate on the key components and the unique process involved?

This politely requests more details using 'could you' for formal requests; 'elaborate on' means to explain in more depth, helpful in discussions needing clarification.

Its novelty lies in a specific combination of plant-based polymers and a proprietary catalyst.

Explains what makes something new using 'lies in' to indicate the source; useful for describing innovations, with noun phrases for technical details in professional contexts.

Based on what you've described, it appears to meet the initial criteria.

Gives an assessment using 'based on' for reasoning and 'appears to' for tentative opinion; great for evaluations in advice-giving situations like consultations.

I'd recommend we proceed with a comprehensive patentability search.

'I'd recommend' is a polite suggestion using conditional 'would'; useful for giving advice in professional settings, followed by an action plan.

What's the next step after the search?

A direct question using contraction 'what's' for informal yet professional inquiry; helps clarify procedures, common when seeking guidance in processes.

Sounds like a solid plan.

Agrees positively with an idea using 'sounds like' for opinion; 'solid' means reliable, a casual way to show approval in business discussions.