The U.S. patent system was created by the U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8 (1789), which states: “The Congress shall have Power…To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries."
The patent system is intended to spur innovation by providing inventors with limited rights of exclusivity over their inventions. All industrialized nations have a patent system in place. Without a patent system, individuals and businesses would be less likely to undertake research and development, since they would be unprotected against competitors seeking to copy their successful ideas and products.
To find out more please access our IP Primer page.