What are patent claims?

It is important to establish the boundaries of patents since they are intangible property. In the current patent system, the scope of protection is defined by the patent claims, which are numbered paragraphs within the patent application that outline the development process of the invention. In the early days of the patent system, applicants were required to provide a copy of the product or a patent model as part of their application, but this became impractical as more inventions emerged. Instead, the British patent authority began requiring clear descriptions of inventions in the 18th century, which evolved into the patent claims we have today. The scope of protection of a patent claim narrows as it becomes more detailed and includes more technical features. To avoid losing valuable patent protection due to poorly written claims, it is advisable for applicants to seek the assistance of experienced patent attorneys when filing their applications.