An Overview Of United States Patents And Patent Law
A United States patent is an exclusive right granted by the U.S. government to an inventor to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling the invention throughout the United States or importing the invention into the U.S. Essentially a patent represents a government granted monopoly over the invention. The monopoly lasts for the limited term of the patent, generally 20 years. The primary purpose of the U.S. patent process is to further and foster the advancement of innovation. Thus, if you file a patent application and/or are issued a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”), the patented invention must be disclosed in a manner that allows others skilled in the art to understand how to make or perform the invention, and any patented inventions, including, devices, goods, software, or other methods and processes, will be open for the public’s eye, even if not available for the public’s use.
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