Office of Licensing & Ventures
Definition of Invention
An invention is a new (previously undiscovered) method, device, process, algorithm, or tangible material that can be used for a specific purpose.
Inventions also include improvements to existing methods, devices, processes, algorithms or materials.
There is a distinction between an invention and what is patentable since not all inventions may be patentable. Patentable inventions must be novel, non-obvious, and useful for a particular purpose.