Legal Definitions - in-force patent

Definition: An in-force patent is a legal document granted by the government that gives the inventor the right to exclude others from making, using, marketing, selling, offering for sale, or importing an invention for a specified period (usually 20 years from the date of filing) if the device or process is novel, useful, and non-obvious. It is a limited monopoly designed to encourage public disclosure of inventions so that after the monopoly expires, the public is free to take unrestricted advantage of the invention.

Examples:

• A patent for a new type of smartphone that allows users to control it with their thoughts.
• A patent for a new type of solar panel that is more efficient than previous models.
• A patent for a new type of medication that cures a previously untreatable disease.

These examples illustrate how an in-force patent gives the inventor the exclusive right to profit from their invention for a certain period of time. During this time, no one else can make, use, or sell the invention without the inventor's permission. This encourages inventors to share their ideas with the public, knowing that they will have a limited time to profit from their invention before it becomes available to everyone.