abstract idea

abstract idea. Intellectual property. A concept or thought, removed from any tangible embodiment. • An abstract idea is one of the categories of unpatentable subject matter, along with natural phenomena and laws of nature. But a process that uses abstract ideas to produce a useful result can be patented. Copyright law likewise will not protect an abstract idea, but only its expression. The law of unfair competition, on the other hand, does protect abstract ideas that meet the other criteria of a trade secret. See business-method patent under PATENT.

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词条贡献者

法律翻译文楷，毕业于新加坡知名法学院，专注翻译各类与合并许可有关的法律文件。