Why is it so Hard to Obtain a Patent?

When it comes to obtaining a patent, the term 'easy' can be interpreted in different ways. According to a Yale statistical study, only 11% of applications for useful non-provisional patents are allowed without any refusal. This means that getting a utility patent is not always easy. It is possible to get an independent claim accepted with a large number of limitations or claim elements, but this will likely have little or no value in the commercial world.

The process of obtaining a patent can take years due to the various steps involved, such as searching for patentability, preparing a patent application and waiting for the patent office to resolve the delay before examining the application. However, it is possible to expedite the process by submitting an expedited request. The most common reason why a patent is considered difficult to obtain is because it is too similar to a previous invention. When a new concept is similar to an existing one, it can be very hard to get a patent since patents must be novel and not obvious in comparison to the prior technique.