patent

A patent is a legal right granted by a government to an inventor, typically for a limited period, in exchange for full public disclosure of the invention. The patent allows the holder to exclude others from making, using, selling, or importing the claimed invention within the national or regional jurisdiction. The underlying goal is to promote innovation by providing an incentive to invest in research and development while enriching public knowledge.

Patents cover a range of subject matter. Utility patents protect new and useful processes, machines, manufactures, or compositions of matter, and their improvements. Design patents protect the ornamental design of a functional item. Plant patents cover new and distinct varieties of plants that have been asexually reproduced. The term of protection and specific rules vary by jurisdiction but typically utility patents last about 20 years from filing, while design and plant patents have different duration rules.

To be eligible for patent protection, an invention must meet several criteria: novelty (not anticipated by prior art), non-obviousness or inventive step (not obvious to a skilled person in the field), and utility or industrial applicability (it must have some practical use). A patent specification must disclose the invention sufficiently to enable a person skilled in the art to reproduce it, and the actual granted protection is defined by the set of claims.

The patent process generally involves filing an application with a patent office, undergoing examination, potentially responding to office actions, and, if approved, paying maintenance fees. Patent rights are territorial, so protection applies only in the jurisdictions where a patent is granted. International paths, such as the Patent Cooperation Treaty, help streamline filing for multiple countries.

Patents have economic and policy implications, balancing incentives for innovation with access and competition. Once expired, inventions enter the public domain.