A patent is a legal right granted by a government to an inventor, giving them exclusive control over their invention for a certain period, usually 20 years. This means that others cannot make, use, or sell the invention without permission. Patents encourage innovation by allowing inventors to profit from their ideas. To obtain a patent, the inventor must publicly disclose the details of their invention, which must be new, useful, and non-obvious. The process involves submitting an application to a patent office, such as the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), where it is examined for eligibility.