Final answer:
The U.S. patent system is intended to support inventors by granting them exclusive rights to their inventions for a limited period, typically 20 years, to incentivize innovation and investment in research and development.
Step-by-step explanation:
The U.S. patent system was designed to tap the creative and productive potential of inventors. The Constitution of the United States, specifically Article I, Section 8, grants Congress the power to promote the progress of science and useful arts, securing for limited times the exclusive rights of authors and inventors to their writings and discoveries. This led to the creation of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which offers patents that provide inventors with exclusive legal rights over their inventions for a limited time, typically 20 years in the United States. These rights serve as an incentive for innovation, allowing inventors to recoup their investments in research and development without immediate competition, thereby fostering a competitive market in the long term.