A patent is a right to the inventor, in exchange for public disclosure, to exclude others from making, selling, importing or using the invention for a limited period of time in the territory for which the right is granted.
There are no "world patents". Application must be filed in each country. Patenting cooperation treaties, such as
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and
European Patent Office (EPO), can help to simplify the process.
The invention can be patented only when it is new, inventive and useful. Patents are published so that other people can benefit from the information they contain.
Patents are important resources for research. The Library recommends researchers and students with an interest in patents and intellectual property consult Griffith Enterprise or another source of expertise.