Final answer:
The innovation process begins with invention. Patents play a critical role in protecting innovations and providing an incentive for further development. The U.S. Patent Office issues various patents that recognize and safeguard these inventions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The innovation process begins with invention. Innovation involves incrementally or radically modifying an existing product, system, or process to improve it. The U.S. Patent Office, which receives patent applications for nearly all major innovations, grants three types of patents: utility patents for new and useful processes, products, or machines, design patents for new and original designs for manufactured products, and plant patents for the discovery of new plant types. These patents encourage innovation by ensuring that the inventor can benefit from their invention, as the number of patent applications surged with the advent of the Internet, showing the interconnectedness of technological advancements.