Who has the right to commercially exploit an invention?
If an invention is publicly disclosed and no patent for it has been obtained or applied for, anybody can commercially exploit the invention. The only way to have control over the commercial exploitation of an invention is to apply for and obtain a patent. The mere act of inventing only gives a right to a patent for that invention, but if the patent is not actually obtained the inventor will have no control over the commercial exploitation of his invention. A patented invention can be exploited directly by the patent holder himself or by one or more persons authorized by him. These persons are called licensees. Depending on what the invention is, the exploitation can take place by way of manufacturing or distributing the patented product, or using the patented process for industrial or commercial purposes.
