Patents

Patents are legal rights granted by a government to an inventor or assignee that allow them exclusive control over the use, production, and sale of an invention for a specified period of time, typically 20 years from the filing date. This legal protection is intended to incentivize innovation by ensuring that inventors can reap the benefits of their creations without the fear of unauthorized use or duplication by others. In order to receive a patent, the invention must meet specific criteria, usually including novelty, non-obviousness, and usefulness. Patents can be granted for various types of inventions, including processes, machines, manufactures, and compositions of matter. The patent system is designed to foster technological advancement and economic growth by providing inventors with a temporary monopoly in exchange for publicly disclosing the details of their inventions, thus contributing to the body of knowledge.