unpatented process
[ʌnˈpætəntəd ˈprɑːsɛs]
nounpl: unpatented processes
processo não patenteado
1. A method, technique, or procedure that has not been legally protected by a patent and is therefore not exclusive intellectual property
The company decided to keep the manufacturing technique as a trade secret rather than file for a patent, making it an unpatented process.
A empresa decidiu manter a técnica de fabricação como segredo comercial em vez de registrar uma patente, tornando-a um processo não patenteado.
2. A procedure or method that is freely available for use by anyone without legal restrictions or licensing fees
Since the original patent expired, the formula became an unpatented process that competitors could legally replicate.
Como a patente original expirou, a fórmula se tornou um processo não patenteado que os concorrentes poderiam replicar legalmente.
This term is commonly used in legal and business contexts in both Brazil and the USA, particularly in discussions about intellectual property rights, manufacturing regulations, and competitive advantage. In Brazilian business environments, companies may choose to maintain processes as trade secrets rather than seek patents to avoid disclosure requirements. In the USA, the concept is particularly relevant in the context of patent law, where expired patents enter the public domain and become unpatented processes that competitors can legally use.
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