All About Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 101

Learning Objectives:

1. What is a patent?
2. What is a trademark?
3. What is a copyright?
4. Three types of patents
5. About patent attorneys
6. What resources are available for inventors?

What is a Patent?
A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention, which is a product or a process that provides, in general, a new way of doing something, or offers a new technical solution to a problem.  In order to be patentable, the invention must fulfill certain conditions.
What does a Patent do?
A patent provides protection for the invention to the owner of the patent. The protection is granted for a limited period, generally 20 years. A patent for an invention is the grant of a property right to the inventor

What kind of Protection does a Patent offer?
Patent protection means that the invention cannot be commercially made, used, distributed or sold without the patent owner’s consent. These patent rights are usually enforced in a court, which, in most systems, holds the authority to stop patent infringement. Conversely, a court can also declare a patent invalid upon a successful challenge by a third party.

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