Yes; commas too! Exclamation points and semicolons,even!
If you've ever tried to patent anything, you'd know that the patent attorny will throuw you out of the off ice if you even say you want to patent "an idea"! Patents are of innovative things that implement new concepts and ideas but, the simple idea is not patentable. it must be able to be built from the patent. I have been down this road several times and that has been my experience!
You can't patent an idea alone!