What Are The Different Types Of Patents?

A patent is an exclusive right that could be generally granted by the governments to the inventor for an invention that is a new, inventive solution to an existing technological problem. The patent rights are granted for a limited period of time in exchange for complete public disclosure of the invention. In this article we will see the different types of patents there are in IPR.

Types of patent applications can protect different kinds of inventions. Savvy inventors can utilize the different kinds of patent applications to secure the rights they need to protect their inventions.

There are four different patent types:

• A utility patent: It is a long, technical document that educates the public on how to use a new machine, process, or system. The kinds of inventions protected by utility patents are defined by Congress. New technologies like genetic engineering and internet-delivery software are challenging all the boundaries of other kinds of inventions which could receive utility patent protection.

• A provisional patent is similar to a utility patent. The law allows inventors to file a less formal document that proves the inventor was in possession of the invention and had adequately figured out how to make the invention work. Once that is on file, the invention is patent pending. If the investor fails to file the formal utility patent within a year from filing the provisional patents, he or she will lose these filing dates. Any public disclosures made relying on that provisional patent application will now count as public disclosures to the registrar.

• A design patent: The shape of the bottle or the design of a shoe which is particularly unique and could be protected by a design patent. The document on itself must be entirely made of pictures or drawings with dimensions of the design on the item to be patented. Design patents are pretty notoriously difficult to search simply in different search engines because there are very few words used in the design patent. In recent years, software companies have used design patents to protect elements of user interfaces and even the shape of touchscreen devices.
• A plant patent is just a patent for biological membranes or plants.

A plant patent protects new kinds of plants that are produced by cuttings or other nonsexual or artificial means. Plant patents don’t cover genetically modified organisms and focus more on conventional horticulture. Different patent filings give you different options. For an eggbeater, A Provisionals patent gives you a year to learn more about the devices and the possibility of a market for your patent. As you weigh all your options, keep in mind that filing a patent has consequences. The patent registrar publishes the utility patent applications a few months right after they get filed. At that point, your applications are a prior art against all future inventions. Be sure to file patents which is strategically to avoid tripping over your own inventions. The base point is to keep your inventions protected. If you are going to take the effort to write a patent application, then make sure you fully consider every kind of protection available.

Patent law offers four different kinds of patent applications:

• Use them to get the right protection for your budget.
• Use patent filings as part of your broader strategy to get a return on your investment. Effectively using all the different kinds of patent protections available to the inventors requires an understanding of what each and every law protects and how they would differ from each other.

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