As it turns out, there are as many origin stories for barbecue as there are spellings of the word on neon signs. These explanations range from a linguistic attempt to connect barbecue to boucan (also French) to a tall tale tracing barbecue to a Texas rancher who happened to brand the initials B.Q. on his livestock.
Patent protection usually ends when the patent expires. Here are the expiration dates: For all utility patents filed before June 8, 1995, the patent term is 20 years from date of filing, or 17 years from date of issuance, whichever period is longer.
How long a patent lasts depends on the type of patent being issued and the country issuing the patent. For example, under recent changes in the laws, in the United States, patents are now granted for a term of 20 years from the date of application (14 years for design patents).Different rules apply for patents from applications filed before June 8, 1995.or example, under recent changes in the laws, in the United States, patents are now granted for a term of 20 years from the date of application (14 years for design patents). Different rules apply for patents from applications filed before June 8, 1995.