What is the typical duration of a patent?

The typical duration of a patent is generally 20 years from the date of filing. This timeframe is established to provide inventors with a significant period during which they can exclusively exploit their inventions, allowing them to recover the costs of development and potentially earn a profit. After this period, the patent expires, and the protected invention enters the public domain, making it available for others to use or develop further without infringement concerns.

This structure is designed to balance the interests of inventors and the public, encouraging innovation while eventually allowing society to benefit from new inventions. In specific scenarios, such as design patents or plants, the duration can vary slightly, but the standard for utility patents is indeed 20 years.