What is the protection granted by a government office to allow someone to exploit an invention for a certain number of years?

• A. Patent
• B. Copyright
• C. Trademark
• D. License

Answer: (A)

A patent is a government-granted exclusive right that lets the inventor control how an invention is made, used, or sold, for a limited period. By obtaining a patent, the inventor (or their assignee) can prevent others from exploiting the invention without permission, typically for around 20 years from filing, in exchange for openly disclosing the details to the public. This protects the investment in development while encouraging sharing of knowledge once the patent expires. Copyright covers original works like writings or software, not inventions; trademark protects brand identifiers rather than technical innovations; and a license is merely a permission to use someone else’s protected rights, not the protection itself. Therefore, the protection described is a patent.