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[betamatt76]

I have an invention; part of it involves new "things" (these I know are patentable) but the rest of the invention takes existing technologies and both improves and combines them into a larger system. Do I patent that part or is that part intellectual property


for example: If I take a can opener and improve it a little then combine it with a cell phone. Is that a patent or Intellectual property?

[JimIvey]

Well, it's all intellectual property, or at least can be.  It's not a patent until you've filed a patent application (not a provisional -- that can never become a patent) and a patent is granted and issued by the US Patent and Trademark Office on that application.

As for your cell phone that opens cans, it's patentable if (i) the combination is novel and non-obvious and (ii) an application that sufficiently describes the invention is filed.

So, the short answer you're probably looking for is "Both."

Regards.

[LF]

But will it be like the GPS guidance setup? That is, when you're opening the can it counts as a call?