how did patents affect innovation?

a. the provided licenses for inventions.
b. the provided payments to inventions.
c. the taxed inventions.
d. the provided plans for inventions.

a. The provided licenses for inventions.

Patents provide inventors with exclusive rights to their inventions for a certain period of time, typically 20 years. This allows inventors to have control over how their inventions are used and allows them to potentially profit from their inventions through licensing agreements. This incentive for inventors to protect their intellectual property has been shown to encourage innovation and promote the development of new technologies. Patents play a crucial role in fostering innovation by providing inventors with the assurance that they will be able to benefit from their inventions, thereby encouraging investment in research and development.