United States Patent System

The United States Patent System grants inventors exclusive rights to their creations for a limited time, typically 20 years from application filing. This encourages innovation by allowing inventors to benefit commercially from their work while publicly disclosing technical details, which promotes further advancement. To obtain a patent, an inventor must thoroughly describe the invention and demonstrate its novelty and usefulness. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) reviews applications, and once granted, patents give inventors legal protection against unauthorized use or copying. After the patent expires, the invention enters the public domain, allowing others to freely use and improve upon it.