patent

A patent is a legal right granted by a government to an inventor, allowing them to stop others from making, using, selling, or importing their invention for a limited period. For utility patents, that period is typically 20 years from the filing date, assuming the required fees are paid. In return, the inventor must publicly disclose how the invention works, so the public eventually gains the benefit of that knowledge.

There are several main types of patents. Utility patents protect new and useful processes, machines, manufactured items, or chemical compositions, such as a new engine part or a new medicine formula. Design patents protect the ornamental appearance of a functional item, like the shape of an iconic bottle or the visual style of a chair. Plant patents protect certain new plant varieties that can be reproduced asexually.

Getting a patent can be a long and technical process. The invention must be new, useful, and not obvious in light of earlier work, often called "prior art." The inventor files an application with a patent office, such as the USPTO in the United States, and an examiner reviews whether the invention meets the legal requirements.

Patents are meant to encourage innovation by giving inventors a period of exclusive control, which can help them recover the time and money spent developing something new. Outside the legal sense, "patent" is also an adjective meaning obvious or plain to see. A "patent lie," for example, is a lie that is clearly visible as a lie. So the word can describe either a formal legal protection for an invention or something that is openly and unmistakably clear.