Patent

This is an industrial property right granted by a public authority (INPI in France) to anyone who reveals, describes in a complete and sufficient manner and claims an invention, to make it benefit from a monopoly of exploitation on the latter, allowing him to protect it against possible counterfeits but also to collect the fruits, for a limited time (20 years from the request, in France).

The patent is to be distinguished from the know-how that allows the qualification of the franchise contract, the know-how not being protectable as such by an intellectual property title.