Surprise Me With Three Things I Didn’t Know About Patents

Patents are legal documents that grant inventors exclusive rights to their inventions. They are designed to encourage innovation and protect the intellectual property of inventors. While most people are aware of the basic concept of patents, there are several lesser-known facts about them that may surprise you. Here are three things you probably didn't know about patents:

1. Patents are not universal. While patents are designed to protect intellectual property across the globe, there is no such thing as a "global patent." Instead, inventors must apply for patents in individual countries or regions. This means that obtaining a patent can be a time-consuming and expensive process for inventors who want to protect their inventions in multiple countries.
2. Patents can be bought and sold. In addition to protecting inventors' intellectual property, patents can also be valuable assets. As such, they can be bought and sold like any other type of property. In some cases, large companies will buy up patents from smaller inventors to prevent competitors from using them. This practice is known as patent trolling and is often controversial.
3. Patents can expire early. Most patents last for 20 years from the date of filing. However, there are circumstances under which a patent may expire earlier than that. For example, if an inventor fails to pay the required maintenance fees, their patent may expire prematurely. Additionally, some patents may be invalidated if it is found that the invention was not truly novel or non-obvious at the time of filing.

Patents are complex legal documents that play a vital role in protecting the intellectual property of inventors. While most people are aware of the basic concept of patents, there are several lesser-known facts about them that are worth knowing. From the fact that patents are not universal to the ability to buy and sell patents, there is a lot more to these legal documents than meets the eye.