Legal Definitions - statutory subject matter

Statutory subject matter refers to the specific types of inventions that U.S. patent law has defined as eligible for patent protection. It is one of the foundational requirements for an invention to be granted a patent, ensuring that only certain kinds of innovations, as opposed to abstract ideas or natural laws, can be patented.

Under U.S. law, an invention must fall into at least one of the following broad categories to qualify as statutory subject matter:

• Process: A method, act, or series of steps for achieving a particular result.
• Machine: A device with moving parts designed to perform a specific function.
• Manufacture: A physical item that has been made or produced, often by hand or machinery.
• Composition of Matter: A new chemical compound, mixture, or combination of ingredients.
• Any new and useful improvement thereof: An enhancement or modification to an existing process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter.

Here are some examples illustrating statutory subject matter:

• Example 1: A company develops a novel method for converting agricultural waste into biodegradable packaging materials. This method involves a unique sequence of chemical treatments and mechanical pressing.

  Explanation: This invention qualifies as statutory subject matter because the novel method for converting waste into packaging falls under the category of a Process. The specific steps and chemical treatments involved constitute a patent-eligible method of doing something.

• Example 2: An engineer designs a new type of wind turbine blade that incorporates a flexible, self-adjusting tip, allowing it to capture energy more efficiently in varying wind conditions than traditional rigid blades.

  Explanation: The new type of wind turbine blade is an enhancement to an existing device. It qualifies as statutory subject matter as a new and useful improvement of a Machine (the wind turbine itself) and could also be considered an improved Article of Manufacture.

• Example 3: A pharmaceutical researcher synthesizes a previously unknown molecule that shows promise as a highly effective, non-addictive pain reliever.

  Explanation: This invention is statutory subject matter because the previously unknown molecule is a new Composition of Matter. Its unique chemical structure and properties make it eligible for patent consideration under this category.