In an Article About the Patents Held by the Research

Multiple Choice

In an article about the patents held by the Research Services Office at the University of British Columbia, it was written that none of the patents were there because someone set out to invent something new. "If we knew what it was that creates innovation, we would all be millionaires... it's chance, brilliance, an offhand remark...." We know that to obtain a patent we need to have created an "invention." Which of the following best defines a patentable invention?

A) A unique mark identifying a business or product
B) An original artistic work
C) A significant scientific principle
D) A new and useful machine
E) Novel information used in a person's business which gives him or her a competitive edge