A patent is a legal mechanism that grants inventors exclusive rights to their inventions for a specified period, typically 20 years from the date of filing. It provides inventors the exclusive right to make, use, sell, and license their invention, preventing others from doing so without permission.

To obtain a patent, inventors must disclose their invention in a detailed and publicly accessible manner, promoting knowledge sharing while protecting their innovation. Patent protection varies by country and typically requires a rigorous examination process to ensure the invention’s novelty, utility, and non-obviousness.

Patents play a crucial role in fostering innovation by incentivizing inventors to invest in research and development, as they can profit from their creations. However, patent rights can also be subject to legal challenges and infringement disputes, necessitating legal enforcement to protect inventors’ interests.