A rhetorical approach to patents: A guide to reading a patent

摘要

We can easily see the patent wars between technology companies nowadays. Intellectual property is the key asset in the knowledge and information era. That is why many companies invest a lot of money, time, and human resources in securing valuable patents. Despite their importance, most people think that patents are the exclusive property of experts in special fields. Frankly, patents are quite complicated documents, so reading a patent is not easy for people who do not have extensive experience in the patent field. This patent reading primer is designed for engineers, researchers, and fresh patent managers working for Samsung Electronics in South Korea. The primer differs from other guides or manuals about reading patents because it presents entry-level information for my fellow employees in the company rather than the general public. I assume my audience is qualified to understand technology, but novices in reading U.S. patents. Being granted a patent in the U.S. is important for inventors because the U.S. offers the most competitive arena of technologies and is the biggest market in the world, which is why I focus on U.S. patents in this primer. This primer will cover structure, elements, meanings, and other background information about patents.