A patent allows an inventor the ability to legally exclude others from making the same invention.
Lagasse, P. (2018). Patent. (2018). In P. Lagasse, & Columbia University, The Columbia encyclopedia (8th ed.). Retrieved from
http://0-search.credoreference.com.library.svsu.edu/content/topic/patent?institutionId=3346
Patent databases can be tricky to research. Please ask for assistance if you are not finding what you need.