Patents are meant to protect the chances of inventors to make money from their creations. The term of a patent is up to 20 years. During that time, the inventor controls the legal right to make, use or sell the invention. After 20 years, anyone can make or sell the invention. A patent gives both inventors and investors time to develop and market a product. Patents also provide a way to share and spread technical information. Suppose you have an idea for an invention. How do you get a patent to protect your rights The first step is to record your idea on paper. You must be sure no one else has invented a device just like yours. So you must examine the descriptions of similar devices that already have patents. This can be a big job and take a long time. Many inventors pay patent lawyers to do this job.