All about patents

Invent something awesome? Apply for a patent.专利知多少。你有很棒的发明吗？那就申请专利吧！

Maybe you've just invented something better than the iPhone or a solar-powered car. You don't want anyone to steal your design. What should you do? Patent it! Patents are the best way to get credit for your work and help others continue advancing in that field. Here's what you need to know.

How patents work
A patent gives you the right to an invention. The patent protects its owner, which means the invention can't be copied or sold without their agreement. In exchange, the owner must reveal information about the invention. This contributes knowledge that helps other inventors improve on their own research. A patent usually lasts about 20 years.

The first step to getting a patent is the application. The person applying must name the invention, explain its use and describe it clearly. The invention must be practical and contain some new characteristic -something that hasn't been seen or used before. But not everything "new" can be patented. Many countries don't allow patents on things like new concepts, scientific theories, medical procedures or substances already found in nature.

Patents, patents everywhere
You may not be able to see patents, but they're connected to nearly everything. There are patents on things you use every day, like plastic, light bulbs, medicine and your computer. There are patents on things that are unavailable on the market, too. Apple is well-known for its patents on potential products, such as the "iBike" or the "iKey."

Of course there are also patents on inventions that are a little weird. Take the anti-eating face mask for example. This device locks around your head with a metal cage covering your mouth. You can breathe and speak, but you can't eat! Or try out the bionic golfer. The machine seizes your shoulders, arms, waist and legs and "guides" you to make the perfect golf swing. Then there are patents for ridiculous things. One man wanted to patent his "clever" invention -a stick. He tried to pass it off as a dog toy.

Although many patented inventions can be failures, there's plenty of room for success. So if you have a cool invention, try to patent it!

Grammar Tips:
In exchange, the owner must reveal information about the invention.
"in exchange,..." =in return - do A in order to get B.
Sandy helps Mrs. Franklin with the chores around the house in exchange for a place to stay.
In an internship position, a student works for free in exchange for first-hand experience in a professional field.

Vocabulary Tips:
patent (n)-专利，专利权。
* The patent application for our new product took several months.
* Our English patents were displayed in the windows.
patent (v)-申请专利(申请专利权），取得专利，专利权。an official legal rights that you own.
*This new drug will be patented soon.
*The iPhone is one of Steve Jobs' innovative inventions.
invention - create something new.（可数 n.)发明物，创造物，（不 可数n）发明，创造。
invent -发明，创造。
*The invention of the light bulb really changed the way people live.
concept -idea. thoughts.概念，观念，思想。
*The book introduces the basic concepts of management.
*Irene had a hard time grasping these mathematical concepts.
*The concepts of sharing and self-sacrifice are hard for children to understand.
nearly - just about.
anti - you can not, or against.
device - object
take a trip to somewhere = take a trip over to (someplace) -去（哪儿）
practical - useful.实用的。
bionic - machine that make something like nature. product from combination of machine and animal (stuff).
available - something you can get or buy or obtain.可买得到的，可获得，取得的
*These gardening tools are no longer available.
unavailable -not available.
*The medicine is unavailable in many countries.
device -object. 装置，器具。
*This device can check your blood pressure in seconds.
*Laborsaving devices like microwaves or dishwashers are now basic equipment in the kitchen. 节省劳力等器具。。。厨房基本配备。
pass something off as something - you pretend something is really something else.将某个东西冒充或假装成另外一个东西。鱼目充当珠子。
*These smugglers tried to pass these fake watches off as real ones.
pass oneself off as someone -冒充某人。
*The robber put on a disguise and passed himself off as a security guard. 强盗变装冒充成保安人员。
substance (n) - 物质，实体，内容，材料。
reveal - show other people.
theories -idea,
procedure - a way, or step.
advance (adj) copy- 新书样本。
advance (n) - 预付，预支，贷款。前进，进步。高升。攻，促进。接近，建议，贡献。前进。
seizes - hold
ridiculous - non-reasonable, a bit of stubby.
"clever" - "很聪明" （说话或写作时，故意用“”括号来形容什么事或物，括号里的意思非真正的意思，有反讽之意。不是真的很同意）
high-five - give me five.

Chat Room:
credit -名誉，声望。功劳。赞扬。
Patents are the best way to get credit for your work.
give credit where credit is due.-对于值得赞扬的人给于赞扬。
take credit for -将他人所完成的工作归功于自己。
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
room -(可数n).房间。(不可数n) 空间。
there's plenty of room for success. 追求成功的空间还很大。
make room-挤一挤，腾出位子。