What Is Novelty?

Novelty (derived from Latin word novus for "new") is the quality of being new. Although it may be said to have an objective dimension (such as abstract art or impressionism) it essentially exists in the subjective perceptions of individuals.

It also refers to something novel; that which is striking, original or unusual. The term can have pejorative sense and refer to a mere innovation. Novelty is something that has not been seen and has elements of surprise and originality without being predicted and comes so differently with anything exist.

Dart Clock

A Hamburger Corded Table Phone

Pictured Toilet Roll

Electrical Pistol Gun Hairdryer

Why Is Novelty Important

For an invention, a lack of novelty matters for two main reasons:

• You are unlikely to be able to obtain any worthwhile intellectual property rights for an idea that is not novel. In most cases this means that your idea will have little or no commercial value.
• An idea that is not novel cannot legally belong to you. If someone else owns the rights to it, you risk having legal action taken against you if you try to exploit it without their permission. Nor can you claim the idea as yours even if it has no legal owner.

But even if an idea is novel, novelty on its own may not mean much. For an invention to have good commercial potential, it needs to be a significant improvement on prior art.

On the other hand, it is possible for a commercially successful idea to be novel but not particularly inventive.

For example, electric toothbrushes used to be too expensive to sell well. Then someone discovered that it was possible to use a much cheaper motor. Prices fell and sales soared. This new type of electric toothbrush simply included a well known motor, and functioned in a well known way, so there was no invention - but the novelty of combining motor and toothbrush gave it a large commercial advantage.