Most U.S. patent applications are published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) soon after they are filed. This article focuses only on USPTO patent applications, which also reflect BEV innovation just as well as patents filed in other patent offices around the world.
A U.S. patent grants its owner the right to stop others from making, using, selling, or importing products in the U.S. that are covered by the patent. A patent can be asserted against a competing product regardless of whether the product was created without knowledge of the patent. A patent can be an extremely valuable, and it can be exploited by its owner through litigation, licensing to third parties, or other means.
