noun
existing technology; conventional technology; prior art
Technical term used in patents, engineering, and R&D to refer to technology that already exists or is publicly known before a given invention.
特許出願の際には、従来技術との違いを明確に説明する必要がある。
When filing a patent application, it is necessary to clearly explain the differences from prior art.
この新製品は従来技術の限界を克服した。
This new product has overcome the limitations of conventional technology.