ABSTRACT
Patents are granted for technical solutions which solve only technical problems. They are disclosed to the public during the application process. A patent attorney must be used to file an application. Patent applications are examined in a process which can take between 3 and 8 years and can result in the patent being either granted or refused. Patents normally last for a maximum of 20 years from the date of filing, which means that if the patenting process takes 8 years, there will only be 12 years of protection remaining. As of 2013, the ownership of a patent belongs to the individual or organisation which is “first to file” the patent application.
