What is the main purpose of a patent?

The main purpose of a patent is to grant the inventor exclusive rights to make, use, sell, and distribute an invention for a certain period, usually 20 years from the filing date. This legal protection encourages innovation by allowing inventors to recoup their investment and benefit from their inventions without the fear of competitors copying their ideas. By ensuring that only the patent holder can exploit the invention commercially, patents serve as a powerful incentive for creativity and investment in research and development.

While the other options touch on various aspects of intellectual property and business strategy, they do not encapsulate the primary function of a patent. For instance, protecting brand images or the aesthetic design of a product is typically covered under trademarks and design patents, respectively, while exclusive marketing rights pertain more to branding than to the invention itself. Thus, focusing on the exclusive rights to the new invention underscores the essential role patents play in fostering technological advancement and securing economic benefits for inventors.