United States Patent and Trademark Office
The 
United States Patent and Trademark Office (
PTO) is an agency in the 
United States Department of Commerce that provides 
patent and 
trademark protection to inventors and businesses for their inventions and corporate and product identification.
The mission of the PTO is to promote "industrial and technological progress in the United States and strengthen the national economy by:
Each year, the PTO issues 
thousands of patents to companies and individuals all around the world.
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