A patent is a right granted for any device, substance, method or process which is new, inventive and useful. The right permits an inventor to exclude others from making, using, or selling the invention for up to 20 years for a standard patent or 8 years for an innovation patent.
Patents give effective protection if you have invented new technology that will lead to a product, composition or process with significant long-term commercial gain. In return, patent applicants must share their know-how by providing a full description of how their invention works.