Patents - A certificate of grant by a government of an exclusive right with respect to an invention for a limited period of time. Also known as letters patent. (from AccessScience, ©McGraw-Hil)
Standards - An authoritative or recognized exemplar of correctness, perfection, or some definite degree of any quality. (from OED)
How can they help you?
Patents protect the rights of the inventor of an item, but can also be searched to determine viable areas for research.
Standards are used by scientists and engineers, architects and designers to create, invent and build in a stable and safe environment