What are Patents?
Patents are a type of intellectual property right that grant exclusive rights to inventors and businesses for a specified period. They provide protection for innovations, inventions, and designs that meet certain criteria.
- Copies of the patent document are made publicly available through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) library
- Patents can be applied for by individuals, businesses, or organizations
- The filing process involves submitting an application, non-damaging drawings and descriptions, and paying a fee
The Patent Application Process
A patent application is submitted to the USPTO in two stages: examination and approval.
Stage 1: Preliminary Examination - The USPTO reviews the patent application to ensure it meets basic requirements and has sufficient novelty and non-obviousness
Stage 2: Detailed Examination - The USPTO examines the patent in more detail, searching for prior art and determining whether the invention is novel and non-obvious