No, an idea of a new invention alone cannot be patented. To qualify for patent protection, an invention has to be applied to a product or process and has to fulfil other criteria such as being new, involving an inventive step and be capable of industrial application.

Public disclosure of your invention may destroy the novelty of your invention. An invention that is not new or novel is not a patentable invention. Please see questions 3 and 4.

A disclosure before any learned society or published by you or with your consent in the transactions of any learned society will be disregarded if you file for a patent within 12 months from the date of its disclosure. A "learned society" includes any club or association constituted in Singapore or elsewhere whose main object is the promotion of any branch of learning or science.

If the invention was displayed in an international exhibition, the disclosure will be disregarded if you:-
(a) state, on filing the patent application, that the invention has been so dislayed.
(b) within 4 months from the date of filing, file a certificate from the authority responsible for the exhibition.
(c) file the patent application within 12 months from the date of display in the international exhibition.

If you want to find out whether a particular exhibition is in the list of international exhibitions recognised for this purpose, please visit this website at www.bie-paris.org.

It is not possible to obtain patent protection for the mere outward appearance of an article, that is, a shape configuration, pattern or ornamentation. Instead, a design registration may be a more appropriate option. You may find more information on design registration here.

However, if the outward appearance has a functional application as opposed to a mere visual purpose, it may be possible to obtain patent protection, subject to the patentability requirements of novelty, inventive step and industrial application.

The Registry of Patents cannot give any legal advice to applicants on any subject, which includes the patentability of an invention.

The patenting procedure involves several areas of consideration and several steps to take within specified deadlines. If you need assistance prosecuting your patent application or advice in ascertaining the patentability of your invention or other legal requirements, it is advisable to engage the services of a registered patent agent who has the knowledge and the experience to help you in your patent application right from the start. For the list of registered patent agents in Singapore, please click here.

You may wish to conduct a search for patents and patent applications via online search databases such as ePatents, a services provided by IPOS. Please note that the database provide non-exhaustive searches.

A patent gives you, the owner of the invention, the right to prevent others from using your invention without your consent, during the term of the patent.

While you may not wish to sell, market or license it immediately, there may be a possibility that you may wish to do so later. Hence, you may wish to seek the advice of your patent agent to discuss the options available to you and determine the course to undertake in filing a patent application.

No, it is not a must to apply for a patent for your invention. The decision on whether or not to file for a patent is entirely yours. The advantage of patent protection is that you are able to prevent others from using your invention without your consent. Like any form of property, you could also exploit your patent by licensing or assigning it to another party for a fee or other benefits.

A patent obtained in Singapore is territorial in nature and only gives rise to rights in Singapore. Such local rights are obtained by filing a patent application in Singapore. This is called the national application route. If you are considering obtainining patent protection for an invention in other countries, you either file separate applications in each country where you wish to have patent protection or you may choose to take the PCT (Patent Co-operation Treaty) route which enables you, in a single international patent application to seek patent protection in a number of countries. This is called the international application route.

The national application route and the international application route exist in parallel in Singapore and the choice is open to you to choose between them.

For more information on the national application route and the international application route, please see the sections below "Application in Singapore - National Application" and "Protection outside Singapore - International Application".

Yes, you can commercialise or use your invention without patent protection. However, once your invention is made known to the public, you may not be able to obtain a patent if you decide to apply for protection later.

It should also be borne in mind that apart from a patent, for certain industries, there may be legislative requirements governing the use of an invention. For example, if your invention relates to a pharmaceutical product, prior permission must be obtained from the relevant health authorities.