Patents of addition are granted for novel improvements or modifications to an invention which is already covered by a granted standard patent of invention (known as the “parent patent”). Patents of addition are granted for novel improvements or modifications to an invention which is already covered by a granted standard patent of invention (known as the “parent patent”).

A patent of addition:

1. Can only be filed by the same person or company which owns the parent patent;
2. Must have at least one inventor in common with the inventors named in the parent patent;
3. Cannot be filed before the filing date of the parent patent;
4. Cannot be granted until the parent patent has been granted.