A patent for an invention is a legally granted exclusive right or privilege provided by a government to an inventor or assignee, allowing them to exclude others from making, using, selling, or importing their invention without their consent for a limited period of time. In simple terms, it is a legal protection granted to inventors for their novel and useful creations.
To obtain a patent, the invention must meet certain criteria, including novelty, non-obviousness, and industrial applicability. Novelty means that the invention is new and not publicly disclosed or available before the filing date of the patent application. Non-obviousness refers to the requirement that the invention is not an obvious improvement or combination of existing knowledge or technology. Industrial applicability ensures that the invention has practical use or can be reproduced on an industrial scale.
The granted patent provides the inventor with the right to exclude others from making, using, selling, or importing the claimed invention for a specific period, typically 20 years from the filing date. This exclusivity allows inventors to benefit from their innovative efforts, incentivizing further research and development.
A patent for an invention is a valuable asset that can be licensed, sold, or used as collateral. It provides a legal framework for inventors to protect their inventions and encourages innovation by ensuring that inventors have the opportunity to reap the rewards of their creations.
