What can be protected with a Patent?

Patent protection can be obtained for:

• A product: or apparatus comprising some features
• A method: or process defined by a succession of steps
• A use: of a product for obtaining a certain result (particularly in pharmaceutical industries)
• Combination of the above

Exceptions to patentability are:

• Mathematical methods: Similar to scientific discoveries, this is considered a discovery, not an invention
• Aesthetic creations, playing games or doing business: An invention must be technical, in the sense that it solves a technical problem
• Programs for computers as such: The mere implementation of a (known) solution into the computer is not considered to be inventive