What type of intellectual property protection is provided for a useful manufacturing innovation?

The correct answer is patent because patents are specifically designed to protect new inventions or manufacturing innovations that offer a useful function. A patent grants the inventor exclusive rights to use, manufacture, and sell the invention for a specified period, typically 20 years from the date of filing. This protection encourages innovation by allowing inventors to benefit commercially from their work without the fear of others exploiting their ideas without permission.

Patents require that the innovation be novel, non-obvious, and useful, thereby ensuring that only genuine advancements in technology are eligible for protection. This distinguishes patents from other forms of intellectual property protection. For example, trademarks protect brands, logos, or symbols that identify and distinguish goods or services, while copyrights safeguard the expression of ideas, such as literary and artistic works. Trade secrets protect confidential business information that provides a competitive advantage but do not cover the inventions themselves.

In summary, the patent is the appropriate form of intellectual property protection for useful manufacturing innovations due to its focus on granting exclusive rights related to new inventions and their applications.