Unpatented

The adjective 'unpatented' describes an invention, process, or design that has not been granted a patent by a government authority. This means the inventor has not secured legal rights that prevent others from making, using, or selling the invention. The unpatented status leaves the creation open to public access and potential competition, emphasizing the importance of patenting for protecting intellectual property and securing market exclusivity, unless the creation is intentionally public domain. It also opens the door for independent research and development.

Unpatented meaning with examples

• The engineer decided to release their newly developed software as unpatented, hoping it would be adopted quickly and benefit a wider audience rather than being locked behind proprietary walls. The unpatented nature would allow collaboration, and they would gain recognition through adoption, an alternative marketing strategy.
• Many traditional cooking methods, such as certain bread-making techniques, remain unpatented, existing as public knowledge and passed down through generations. The open nature facilitates the sharing of culinary knowledge and the evolution of recipes within a society. The techniques are readily available to anyone.
• Despite significant technological advancements, some core algorithmic concepts behind early AI are surprisingly unpatented, reflecting their foundational nature and difficulty in establishing unique, defensible claims. Their public availability drives innovation through modification and integration.
• The artist chose to display their innovative sculpture, incorporating novel construction methods, as unpatented, focusing on public exhibition rather than legal protection. The strategy drew attention and fostered discussion around the artistic merit of the sculpture, thus spreading awareness.
• In a collaborative research environment, preliminary findings and novel methods are often shared as unpatented pre-prints before formal publication. This is in the hopes it speeds up scientific discourse, accelerates research, and encourages peer review by providing broader access.