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From the bulky computers of yesteryears to the little gadgets we enjoy now, they can be summed up in one word – inventions. Inventions are products or processes that have made our lives much more comfortable. They were invented to satisfy a need or to provide solutions to age-old problems. They are breakthroughs which have changed the way we live and do things. Notable inventions carry with them patents. A patent is a grant of property right to the inventor in exchange for the disclosure of a particular invention. The U.S. Department of Commerce established The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to grant patents to protect the inventors and their inventions. This means that an inventor that has been given a patent for an invention is given the right to exclude other people from selling, using, importing, or making the particular invention. A patent has a term of 20 years from the date of the patent application in the United States. As the USPTO oversees the granting of patents, an invention approved by the said office is known as a government-approved patent. The USPTO not only grants patents on inventions, it also publishes and disseminates patent information and maintains records and makes them publicly available through the official website. With a government-approved patent at hand, an inventor is guaranteed protection that no other person can claim that the invention is his own, or can he make a similar product.

Government-approved patents can fall under three types: utility patents, design patents, or plant patents. Utility patents are those granted to anyone who invents or discovers a new process, machine, product, or any new improvements. Design patents are granted to inventors of new and unique ornamental design which can be used in the manufacture of products. Plant patents are given to those who have discovered a new variety of plant. As long as the invention or the discovery is adjudged as new, original, and useful, then the inventor can obtain a patent. It’s also important to keep in mind that an inventor cannot obtain a patent for a mere idea or a suggestion. The invention has to be something that is tried, tested and actually works, hence deemed generally useful.

There are laws governing the issuance of patent and the USPTO ensures that they are being observed and followed. Determining if a particular invention is patentable can be very tricky. Some inventors are refused patents for obvious reasons – their inventions were just a tweak of existing inventions. There should be a substantial difference from one invention to another in order to be granted a patent. That being said, it’s quite difficult to secure a government-approved patent because it takes creativity and hard work to set your product or process apart from others. Inventions are highly contentious if similarities to an existing product are pronounced.

The USPTO ensures that all submissions are thoroughly reviewed and that patents are given to rightful owners of inventions. Patents do not only protect inventors, they also promote technological progress and advancements, consequently strengthening the United States economy.