A patent provides legal protection for an invention and can be obtained for a device, substance, method, or process. To be patented, an invention must be new, useful, and innovative. There are two types of patents available in Australia - a standard patent, which can protect an invention for up to 20 years, and an innovation patent, which protects an invention for up to 8 years and provides the patent holder exclusive rights over their invention for a prescribed period of time.

2. A patent is a legally enforceable right for
a device, substance, method or process.
For your application to be successful,
your invention must be new, useful and
inventive or innovative.

3. Under Australian law, there are two types
of patents available: the standard patent
and the innovation patent.

4. Once granted, a patent allows the holder
to exclude anyone else from using their
patented invention in Australia for a
prescribed maximum period of time: up to
20 years for standard patents and up to
eight years for innovation patents (IP
Australia, 2018).

11. Images from: Jean-Marie Donat, Gadgets, Games and Gizmos, 2017