patentittomuus

Patentittomuus refers to the state of a technology, invention, or creation not being protected by a patent. This can occur for several reasons. An invention might be in the public domain because its patent has expired. Patents have a limited term, typically 20 years from the filing date, after which the invention enters the public domain and can be used freely by anyone.

Alternatively, an invention may never have been patented in the first place. This could be because the inventor chose not to seek patent protection, perhaps due to the cost of the application process, a desire to make the technology widely accessible, or because the invention does not meet the criteria for patentability, such as lacking novelty, inventive step, or industrial applicability. Some technologies are intentionally kept as trade secrets rather than being patented, meaning they are not disclosed to the public and thus never enter the public domain through patent expiration.

The absence of patent protection for a technology means that any individual or company can freely use, manufacture, sell, or import that technology without needing a license or paying royalties to the original inventor or patent holder. This promotes wider dissemination of knowledge and innovation, potentially leading to faster development and adoption of new technologies. However, it also removes the exclusive market advantage that patent protection typically provides to the inventor.