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by Tom Harris

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Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks article:

Harris, Tom.  "How Patents Work"  09 July 2001.  HowStuffWorks.com. <http://money.howstuffworks.com/patent.htm>  10 February 2012.
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Stuff They Don't Want You to Know Videos »
Stuff They Don't Want You to Know Videos »
Inside this Article
  1. Introduction to How Patents Work
  2. Patents and Intellectual Property
  3. Patent Protection
  1. What You Can Patent
  2. Functions of Patents
  3. The Patent Process
  4. See more »
    1. What a Patent Lawyer Does
    2. Maintaining a Patent
    3. Lots More Information
    4. See all Money & the Law articles

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Inside this Article
  1. Introduction to How Patents Work
  2. Patents and Intellectual Property
  3. Patent Protection
  4. What You Can Patent
  5. Functions of Patents
  1. The Patent Process
  2. What a Patent Lawyer Does
  3. Maintaining a Patent
  4. Lots More Information
  5. See all Money & the Law articles
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