Legal Definitions - secondary invention

A secondary invention refers to an innovation that combines existing technologies, components, or methods in a novel way to produce a new and useful outcome. Instead of creating entirely new foundational elements, it reconfigures or applies established knowledge and tools to solve a problem or improve a process in an original manner.

• Example 1: A Smart Home Security System

  Imagine a new home security system that integrates existing motion sensors, high-definition cameras, Wi-Fi connectivity, and a mobile application. This system allows homeowners to monitor their property remotely, receive alerts, and even communicate with visitors through an intercom feature, all managed from their smartphone.

  How this illustrates a secondary invention: Motion sensors, cameras, Wi-Fi technology, and mobile apps are all established components. The invention lies in the specific combination and integration of these existing elements into a cohesive system that offers a new and useful result: comprehensive, remote-controlled home security and monitoring.

• Example 2: Advanced Recyclable Packaging

  Consider a new type of food packaging that combines an existing biodegradable plastic polymer with a known moisture-resistant coating and an established vacuum-sealing technique. The result is a package that keeps food fresh for longer, is fully compostable, and can withstand various shipping conditions.

  How this illustrates a secondary invention: Biodegradable polymers, moisture-resistant coatings, and vacuum-sealing methods are all pre-existing technologies. The innovation is in the unique combination and application of these established elements to create a superior, environmentally friendly food packaging solution that achieves a new and useful outcome.

• Example 3: A Personalized Fitness Coaching App

  Picture a fitness application that integrates data from wearable fitness trackers (like heart rate and step count), uses established AI algorithms to analyze user performance, and draws from a database of pre-existing exercise routines and nutritional plans. It then generates a customized daily workout and diet plan tailored to the individual's real-time progress and goals.

  How this illustrates a secondary invention: Wearable fitness trackers, AI algorithms, and databases of exercise/nutrition plans are all existing technologies or bodies of knowledge. The invention is the novel way these established elements are combined and orchestrated to provide a personalized, adaptive, and highly effective fitness coaching experience, delivering a new and useful service.