Can computer hardware be protected by patents?

The understanding of patent law in relation to computer hardware indicates that computer hardware can indeed be protected by patents. Patents are designed to protect inventions or discoveries that provide a new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter. This includes tangible inventions such as computer hardware, provided they meet the necessary criteria for patentability, which include novelty, non-obviousness, and usefulness.

When considering the nature of how patents function, they can cover both the design of hardware and the way a particular hardware invention works. For example, new circuit designs, chip architectures, or innovative manufacturing processes for hardware can all be patent-protected. Hence, the assertion that patents do not cover hardware is incorrect, as patent law explicitly allows for the protection of new inventions in this domain.

The other options imply various nuances about technology fields or designs that may affect patentability, but the overarching principle is that hardware can be patented as long as it meets the legal criteria. This highlights the importance of understanding the comprehensive scope of what patents can cover within the realm of computer hardware and technology.