What is the difference between a patent and a patent application?

A patent is a legal agreement between an inventor and the government that grants the inventor exclusive rights to the invention for a certain period of time. A patent protects an invention from being copied or used without the inventor’s permission. A patent application, on the other hand, is the act of requesting a patent from the government. A patent application must be properly completed and submitted in order for the inventor to obtain a patent. It must contain information about the invention, such as its title, purpose, and details about how it works. The patent application will be reviewed by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to make sure the invention meets the requirements set by Minnesota law. Once approved, the inventor will receive a patent. In summary, the difference between a patent and a patent application is that a patent is the legal agreement between an inventor and the government that grants exclusive rights to the invention, while a patent application is an act of requesting a patent from the government.

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