A patent is an item that allows an intangible idea to have a tangible, transferrable value. The founding fathers of the United States of America (USA) thought so highly of the value of patents that they are a constitutionally granted right. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is in charge of issuing patents to inventors in the USA. A patent issued by the USPTO gives an inventor the right to exclude others from making and using the invention in the USA for