A patent is a legal instrument that is used to protect the intellectual property rights of an invention. An invention is considered advancement in a technical field and can relate to physical devices (such as mousetraps) and intellectual inventions (such as software). The Government grants the patent for an invention and in return, the applicant provides a detailed description of the how the invention works. This disclosure protects the applicant in cases where there is a dispute on the technology covered by the patent, or if there is an infringement on the technology that the patent protects.

When the patent is granted, the applicant is the sole owner of the patent and the protected technology. Depending on the type of patent, you will maintain ownership of the intellectual property for up to 20 years. The patent is considered property by the court and therefore it may be bought, sold, mortgaged, or licensed. Patent protection is generally only a territorial rights so for example a patent issued in the United States will only protect the owners rights within US borders unless there exists a treaty with the violating country covering patent rights.

If you are thinking of obtaining a patent for your invention, you should contact an attorney who specializes in this area of law. The patent attorney will be able to perform a patent search and file all of the necessary paperwork to protect your intellectual property.