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What kinds of inventions can be protected?

Patents may be granted for inventions in any field of technology, from an everyday kitchen utensil to a nanotechnology chip. An invention can be a product – such as a chemical compound, or a process, for example – or a process for producing a specific chemical compound. Many products in fact contain a number of inventions. For example, a laptop computer can involve hundreds of inventions, working together.

How long does patent protection last?

Patent protection is granted for a limited period, generally 20 years from the filing date of the application.