Patendiperioodi

Patendiperioodi refers to the duration for which a patent right is legally enforceable. This period begins on the filing date of the patent application and typically lasts for a set number of years, most commonly twenty years. The exact length of the patent term can vary depending on the jurisdiction and the type of patent. For instance, in many countries, utility patents have a twenty-year term. However, provisions may exist for extensions in certain circumstances, such as for pharmaceutical patents to compensate for the time lost during the regulatory approval process.

Once a patent expires, the invention enters the public domain. This means that anyone can freely use, make, and sell the patented invention without needing to obtain permission from the patent holder or pay any royalties. The expiry of a patent is a crucial aspect of intellectual property law, balancing the inventor's exclusive rights with the public interest in promoting innovation and competition. The concept of the patent term is designed to incentivize inventors by granting them a limited monopoly in exchange for disclosing their invention to the public, thereby contributing to technological advancement.