Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is an agency within the Department of Commerce responsible for granting patents and registering trademarks. Patents protect inventions, giving inventors exclusive rights to their creations for a certain period. Trademarks protect brand names, logos, and slogans, helping consumers identify the source of products or services. The USPTO helps encourage innovation and business by ensuring that intellectual property rights are clearly defined and enforced, supporting a fair marketplace where creators can benefit from their ideas and efforts.