英语patent(专利)一词,源于拉丁语,原意为“开启的”或“公开的”(open)。13世纪初,英王授予他的居民某些特权时,一般都要向他们颁发由其亲自签署并盖御玺的证书。证书用敞口信的形式送达本人,信的内容对任何人都公开。所以有人称它为letters The English patent (patent) is derived from Latin and originally meant “open” or “open”. At the beginning of the 13th century, when the British Crown granted certain privilege to his residents, he would generally issue them a certificate signed by him personally. The certificate is sent to me in the form of an open letter, which is open to anyone. So some people call it letters