Breveté

Breveté is a French term meaning patented or having obtained a patent. It is used to describe an invention, process, or design that has received a patent grant from a patent office, such as France’s INPI, the European Patent Office, or other national offices. The corresponding noun is brevet, or patent certificate. The status breveté indicates that the holder has exclusive rights to exploit the invention within the jurisdiction or region where the patent is valid, for a limited period.

Patent rights are typically territorial: a patent granted in France does not automatically apply in other countries. The standard duration is around 20 years from the filing date, subject to payment of maintenance fees and compliance with legal requirements. The rights conferred allow the patent holder to prevent others from making, using, selling, or importing the claimed invention without authorization, though the exact scope is defined by the patent's claims and may be limited by licenses, exemptions, or prior rights.

To be brevetable, an invention generally must be novel, involve an inventive step (be non-obvious), and have industrial applicability. The patent application must sufficiently disclose the invention so that a person skilled in the art can reproduce it. After examination and grant, the invention remains breveté for the term of the patent, subject to potential oppositions, revocations, or challenges by others.

In practice, products or technologies may bear the label breveté to indicate patent protection, but this does not guarantee freedom to operate or market success, and multiple patents may cover a single product.