Which term denotes a legal instrument used to protect inventions?

• A. Trademark
• B. Service Mark
• C. Patent
• D. Copyright

Answer: (C)

A patent is the legal instrument used to protect inventions. It grants the inventor exclusive rights to make, use, sell, or import the invention for a set period (typically 20 years), in exchange for publicly disclosing how the invention works. This protection is specific to the functional aspects and potential applications of the invention.

Trademarks and service marks shield branding identifiers like names, logos, and slogans used to distinguish goods or services, not the invention itself. Copyright protects original works of authorship (such as writings, art, music, and software code) but not the underlying invention or its functional aspects. So, for safeguarding inventions, patent is the appropriate term.