What is a Patent?
A patent is a grant issued by a government that entitles an owner to exclude others from making, using and selling a patented invention within the United States during the term of the patent. The granting of a patent for a limited time encourages the public disclosure of new technical advances and provides an incentive for investing in the commercialization of the patented invention. The public disclosure of new technical advances improves the exchange of new technical innovation and contributes to the overall progress of technical innovation.