Introduction on Patent Law

• Author: Arti Kane
• Pages: 1-2

1

Introduction

on Patent Law

A patent is a grant of an intellectual property right. Patents encourage

new inventions and improvements to previous inventions. A patent

holder has exclusive rights over a patent.

TYPES

• The United States Patent and Trademark Office grants three

types of patents for inventions: utility, design, and plant

patents.

RIGHTS

• A patent holder has the right to exclude others from making,

using, or selling an invention. Exclusive rights to utility and

plant patents endure for 20 years from the patent application

date, while rights to a design patent endure for 14 years from

the date of the patent grant.

INFRINGEMENT

• Infringement on a patent occurs when another person makes,

uses, sells, or offers to sell a protected invention without the

consent of the patent holder.

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