Which of the following enables an inventor to legally enforce his right to exclude others from using his invention?

An artistic license governs the use and distribution of creative or software works (e.g., open-source licenses), not inventions.

Spam refers to unsolicited bulk electronic messages and has no legal connection to protecting intellectual property rights.

A patent is a government-granted property right that gives the inventor legal standing to exclude others from using, manufacturing, or selling the patented invention, typically for 20 years from the filing date, and is enforced through civil litigation.

Phishing is a social engineering attack used to steal credentials or sensitive information and is entirely unrelated to inventor rights.