patents

n. exclusive right to an invention or design; invention or design that is protected by a patent

v. receive a patent, receive exclusive rights to an invention or design

A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a state to a patentee for a fixed period of time in exchange for a disclosure of an invention. The procedure for granting patents, the requirements placed on the patentee and the extent of the exclusive rights vary widely between countries according to national laws and international agreements. Typically, however, a patent application must include one or more claims defining the invention which must be new, inventive, and useful or industrially applicable. The exclusive right granted to a patentee in most countries is the right to prevent or exclude others from making, using, selling, offering to sell or importing the invention.
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Noun
1. a document granting an inventor sole rights to an invention
(synonym) patent of invention
(hypernym) document, written document, papers
2. an official document granting a right or privilege
(synonym) letters patent
(hypernym) legal document, legal instrument, official document, instrument
(classification) law, jurisprudence
Verb
1. obtain a patent for; "Should I patent this invention?"
(hypernym) procure, secure
(derivation) patent of invention
2. grant rights to; grant a patent for
(hypernym) register
(derivation) letters patent
3. make open to sight or notice; "His behavior has patented an embarrassing fact about him"
(hypernym) change, alter, modify
(derivation) obviousness, noticeability, noticeableness, patency
Adjective
1. (of a bodily tube or passageway) open; affording free passage; "patent ductus arteriosus"
(similar) unobstructed
2. clearly apparent or obvious to the mind or senses; "the effects of the drought are apparent to anyone who sees the parched fields"; "evident hostility"; "manifest disapproval"; "patent advantages"; "made his meaning plain"; "it is plain that he is no reactionary"; "in plain view"
(synonym) apparent, evident, manifest, plain
(similar) obvious

n. patent, exclusive right to an invention or design; invention or design that is protected by a patent

adj. patent