US patent system

The U.S. patent system is a legal framework that grants inventors exclusive rights to their inventions for a limited time, typically 20 years. This means others cannot make, use, or sell the invention without permission. The process involves filing a patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), where it is examined for novelty and usefulness. Patents encourage innovation by protecting inventors' ideas, offering them the opportunity to profit from their inventions while eventually contributing valuable knowledge to the public once the patent expires.