As it turns out, there are as many origin stories for barbecue as there are spellings of the word on neon signs. These explanations range from a linguistic attempt to connect barbecue to boucan (also French) to a tall tale tracing barbecue to a Texas rancher who happened to brand the initials B.Q. on his livestock.
Patent protection usually ends when the patent expires. Here are the expiration dates: For all utility patents filed before June 8, 1995, the patent term is 20 years from date of filing, or 17 years from date of issuance, whichever period is longer.
Sometime after you pay the issue fee, the USPTO will send an Issue Notification containing your patent issue date and coveted patent number. After the patent issues, it's just a matter of paying maintenance fees due at 4, 8 and 12 years to keep the patent enforceable during its 20-year lifespan. Successfully steering an invention all the way to a patent is one reason inventors seem to generate a sense of awe. It takes a certain feistiness to make it happen.