Becoming a patent attorney

摘要

Patents provide protection for new inventions. They are legal rights granted by the state. A patent can be granted in almost any field and gives the patent's owner the right to prevent other people making, using, selling or importing the invention without permission, for around 20 years. In exchange for this protection, the workings of the invention must be fully disclosed to the public. Patents can be sold on, or even licensed, and are therefore potentially valuable assets for individuals and companies.