What is a patent?

• A. A Domain Name Registration
• B. A Symbol that Identifies Goods
• C. A Copyright Registration
• D. A Right to Exclude Others from Making, Using, Selling, and Importing an Invention for a Limited Time (Usually Twenty Years)

Answer: (D)

A patent is a government-granted exclusive right that lets the inventor prevent others from making, using, selling, or importing the invention for a limited time, usually twenty years from filing. This monopoly rewards innovation by requiring disclosure of the invention to the public, while giving the inventor a window to commercialize it. Patents cover new and useful inventions or significant improvements (like a new machine, process, or chemical composition) and require the invention to be novel, non-obvious, and useful. They are distinct from other forms of IP: a trademark protects symbols that identify goods, a copyright protects original creative works, and a domain name registration governs internet addresses. Because patents are territorial, protection must be sought in each country or region where enforcement is desired.