Can I apply for a patent for software development?

Software patent refers to a way to protect the design idea of software by applying for a patent, not the software itself. According to the requirements of censorship standards, software patents can be written as products or methods. But no matter what form it is written, it is a difficult link to highlight the creativity of the scheme, which requires specific case analysis.

Patented software mainly includes (but is not limited to):

(1) industrial control software, such as controlling the action of mechanical equipment;

(2) Software to improve the internal performance of a computer, such as a software that can improve the virtual memory of a computer.

(3) External technical data processing software, such as digital camera image processing software.

It can be said that a considerable part of the software belongs to category (3).

The conditions for applying for a software patent are the same as those for applying for other technology patents. The most basic principle of applying for a patent is to have a method, and the actual situation of this method is feasible, followed by a sentence within the scope of law. Any application for a patent for invention involving a computer program that uses technical means to solve technical problems and obtain technical effects belongs to the object that can be granted patent protection.