A patent grants the patent holder the exclusive right to exclude others from making, using, importing, and selling the patented innovation for a limited period of time.  Categories for patentable subject matter are broadly defined as any process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or improvement thereof.  However, laws of nature, physical phenomena, and abstract ideas are not patentable. A patent grants the patent holder the exclusive right to exclude others from making, using, importing, and selling the patented innovation for a limited period of time.