What Does Patent Mean?
A patent is the type of legal protection granted to inventors to secure their intellectual property rights for their work. The authority for granting patents is stated in Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. The purpose of patents is to encourage scientific and technological progress. Getting a patent isn't automatic. An inventor must show the invention or design is genuinely new in some essential way.
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Definition
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According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), a patent grants the holder "the right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling."
Eligible Ideas
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Patents are granted for new inventions or improvements and new combinations of existing technology. Some computer programs and biologically engineered organisms can also be patented
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Non-patentable Items
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Once a patent expires it can't be patented again. Things that occur in nature and scientific discoveries may not be patented.
Time Frame
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Once a patent application is approved, it is good for 20 years under U.S. law. However, periodic maintenance fees must be paid to keep the patent in force.
Provisional Patents
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A provisional patent may be granted before a patent application is filed. This protects the inventor's claim for 12 months, allowing time to complete the patent application process.
Patent Rights
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A patent holder can sell the patent or may choose to retain ownership and license others to manufacture or sell the patented technology.
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