What can be patented

First of all, you can only patent something that you’ve invented. If you’ve seen it, somebody else has done it and you think that’s a neat idea, “I’ll go and patent that,” no, you can’t do it. You have to be the inventor. If you go overseas and see something, can’t bring that back and patent it here. But in terms of subject matter, it can be almost anything. As long as it’s new and non-obvious, you can get it patented in the United States. Business methods are now patentable. You can’t patent scientific theories. If Einstein — when he discovered that E=mc2, he couldn’t patent that. But just about anything else — but you must go and get your patent before you’ve disclosed your invention. So don’t tell too many people about it. It’s got to be new, it’s got to be non-obvious.