A patent is a document that grants a monopoly for a limited time to an invention described and claimed in the body of the document. A patent describes the invention and defines the specific aspects (claims) of the invention that are new and unique. There are several forms of patents including mechanical patents (processes) and design patents (appearances).

The regulation of telecommunications systems and services are developed to help or improve the ability of citizens in a country to reliably communicate with each other at reasonable cost. Telecom rules and regulations are usually imposed by a government agency. These rules are designed to maintain the quality and cost of public utility services.