Brevetto

Brevetto is the legal title granted by a government that provides an inventor or assignee exclusive rights to prevent others from making, using, selling, or importing the claimed invention for a limited period. In exchange, the inventor discloses technical information to the public, enabling others to build on the idea after the patent expires. Patents are a central instrument of intellectual property law and are used to encourage research and development by allowing inventors to recover costs through exclusive commercialization.

Patents can cover a wide range of technological advances. In many systems, there are utility patents for new and useful processes, machines, or compositions; design patents protect the ornamental appearance of a product; and some jurisdictions recognize plant patents for new varieties. Some countries also offer utility models, which may have shorter terms and different examination standards. Patents require novelty, an inventive step (non-obviousness), and industrial applicability, and the subject matter must be eligible for patent protection.

The typical patent process involves filing an application with a national or regional patent office, followed by formal examination to assess novelty, inventive step, and utility. If the invention meets the criteria, a patent is granted and the scope of protection is defined by the claims. Patents usually require periodic maintenance fees to keep the rights in force. The maximum term is commonly 20 years from the filing date, though extensions or adjustments may apply in some fields.

Internationally, inventors often seek protection in multiple jurisdictions through mechanisms such as the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) or regional offices like the European Patent Office, which streamline multi-country filings. The patent system aims to balance incentivizing innovation with public disclosure, while criticisms include high costs, complexity, and concerns about access and abuse.