Who grants patents?

Patents are primarily granted by government agencies, specifically the patent offices of individual countries. Each country has its own laws and processes governing the granting of patents, which are established to protect inventors' rights to their inventions. These agencies evaluate patent applications to determine if they meet the criteria of novelty, non-obviousness, and usefulness.

For instance, in the United States, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is responsible for granting patents, while other countries have their own equivalent agencies, such as the European Patent Office (EPO) for various European nations. This system allows for a standardized process where inventors can seek protection for their intellectual property within specific jurisdictions.

While individuals, state governments, and international organizations may all play roles in the broader context of intellectual property, the actual granting of patents is a function carried out by national patent offices. Thus, the correct response accurately identifies the entity responsible for the official issuance of patents.