A patent is the intellectual property right granted the federal government grants to an inventor "to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling the invention throughout the U.S. or importing the invention into the U.S." for a limited time in exchange for public disclosure of the invention when the patent is granted. Patents are useful in the engineering design process, because they indicate how others have tried to solve a problem.
To search for patents, start with:
Standards are requirements, specifications, guidelines, or characteristics that can be used consistently to ensure that materials, products, processes, and services are fit for their purpose.
The following organizations issue standards pertient to science, technology, and/or industry:
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