> Patents are valid for 17 years provided the renewal fees are paid.
Depends:
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In the United States, under current patent law, for patents filed on or after June 8,
1995, the term of the patent is 20 years from the earliest claimed filing date. For
patents filed prior to June 8, 1995, the term of patent is either 20 years from the
earliest claimed filing date or 17 years from the issue date, whichever is longer.
Extensions may also be had for various administrative delays. (See: Term of patent in the
United States). The exact date of termination may be zealously litigated, especially where
daily profits from a patent amount to millions of dollars, e.g., pharmaceuticals.
Other types of patents may have varying terms. For example, in the U.S., design patents
(based on a decorative, non-functional design) typically have a 14-year term.
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Term_of_patent
--
from Ron in Florida, in the heart of oppressive property TAXES
(It's not the millage, it's the valuation!)
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