Definition

Noun: The exclusive legal right granted by a government to an inventor, for a limited period, to make, use, or sell an invention, preventing others from doing so without permission.

Usage

A "patent right" is a form of intellectual property. It is a negative right, meaning it grants the holder the right to exclude others from exploiting the invention. This right is territorial, meaning it is only valid in the country or region where the patent was granted. * The company defended its patent right against a competitor who copied the design. * Licensing your invention allows others to use it while you retain the patent right. * The duration of a patent right is typically 20 years from the filing date.

Advanced Usage

• To enforce a patent right: To take legal action to stop infringement of the patent.
  • The firm had to enforce its patent right in court.
• To license a patent right: To grant permission to another party to use the patented invention, usually in exchange for royalties.
  • They decided to license the patent right to a manufacturer.
• Patent right exhaustion (or first-sale doctrine): The principle that the patent right over a particular item is exhausted after its first authorized sale, allowing the buyer to resell or use it without further restriction from the patent holder.

Variants and Related Words

• Patent (n.): The official document that grants the patent right.
  • He received the patent for his new engine.
• Patent (v.): To obtain a patent for an invention.
  • They patented the innovative process.
• Patentee (n.): The person or entity that holds the patent right.
• Patentability (n.): The quality of being eligible to be patented.

Synonyms

• Exclusive right
• Monopoly right (in the context of the specific invention)
• Intellectual property right

Related Legal Concepts

• Infringement: The violation of a patent right.
• Prior art: Existing knowledge that can invalidate a patent right if the invention is not novel.
• Claims: The part of a patent document that defines the scope of the legal protection granted by the patent right.

Noun

1. the right granted by a patent; especially the exclusive right to an invention