U.S. Patent Law

U.S. Patent Law grants inventors exclusive rights to their inventions for a limited time, typically 20 years from filing, preventing others from making, using, or selling the invention without permission. To qualify, an invention must be novel, non-obvious, and useful. The process involves applying to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which examines the application to ensure it meets legal standards. Patents encourage innovation by providing inventors an incentive to develop new ideas, while eventually allowing the public to benefit from the knowledge when the patent expires.