The Brand

A patent is a statutory property right that is granted to an inventor, giving her “the right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling” her invention in the United States or “importing” her invention into the United States.  This exclusive right generally lasts for a period of twenty years from the date the application is filed. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the governmental agency that deals with all aspects of the application process, including the grant of the patent right. A variety of inventions, such as new machines, business and industrial processes, plants and designs, may be eligible. Patent examiners at the USPTO apply the standards of novelty, utility and non-obviousness to judge each invention. More information is available at www.uspto.gov, which is the official website of the USPTO.