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Patents, trademarks, copyrights, and design rights each protect different aspects of innovation. Using the smartphone as a case study, this guide explains what each right covers, how long it lasts, and how all four can apply to a single product.

A patent grants inventors a legally enforceable monopoly in exchange for public disclosure of their invention. This guide covers the legal definition, 20-year term, patentability requirements, prosecution process, and the real limits of patent rights.