Understanding patents is vital for inventors, entrepreneurs, and businesses that want to protect their ideas. The patent system grants inventors exclusive rights over their inventions for a limited time, usually 20 years. This exclusivity encourages innovation while ensuring the public can benefit from new ideas. This post explores what patents are, the historical development of patent law in India, types of patents, the process of obtaining a patent, recent amendments, and the rights and obligations of patent holders.

Concept of Patent

A patent is a legal right that lets the inventor control how their invention is used for about 20 years from the filing date. In return for this control, the inventor must publicly disclose their invention's details. This promotes knowledge sharing and sparks further innovation.

For an invention to qualify for a patent, it must meet three main criteria:

1. Novelty: The invention must not have been made public before the filing date.

2. Inventive Step: The invention cannot be obvious to someone skilled in that field.

3. Industrial Applicability: The invention must have a practical use in industry.