A patent is the legal right granted by the U.S. government to exclude others from making, using or selling your invention in the U.S. (If you have a patent in another country, the right to exclude is recognized in that country only). Patent rights are granted in the U.S. Constitution to promote innovation and the exchange of ideas. Article 1, section 8, clause 8 states:

The Congress shall have the power . . . To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.

Patents are a win-win for the public and the inventor. Patents benefit the public by motivating people to share their ideas, which lead to innovation and progress, while giving the inventor protection against competition; that is, it prohibits someone else from copying their idea.

To acquire a patent for your invention, you must submit a patent application, which is reviewed by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO). You can go the PTO's website to look at patents that have already been issued, or to get general information about patents.

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