为了利用专利法保护思想，了解什么是可专利的，什么是不可专利的是很重要的。本文对一个复杂的主题作了一个非常粗略的概述。它不是作为法律建议，而是解释美国专利法中一些一般概念的入门书。

In order to take advantage of the patent laws to protect ideas, it is importantto know something about what is and what is not patentable. This paper provides a very cursory overview of a complex subject. It is not intended as legal advice but rather as a primer to explain some of the general concepts in US patent laws.