Different Types of Patents

A patent is a license that gives its owner the legal rights to get exclusive rights on their idea/product.

Following are the different types of patents exist to protect an invention/product.

UTILITY PATENT

Non-Provisional Patent

A Utility Patent is a common patent that people usually go for. It is a technical document that teaches the public how to use machines for functionality and processing, it usually covers the creation of a new or improved product and also prohibits other individuals or companies from making use of or selling the invention without authorization. The non-provisional patent is a strong document granted for 20 years starting from the date the application is filled. 

Provisional patent

This is a type of patent temporarily filed by the patent applicant to secure a filing date while avoiding the costs associated with the filing and prosecution of a non-provisional patent application. It also helps the applicant avoid the costs typically associated with fees for one year while deciding whether the invention is profitable. A provisional patent is not publicized unless the applicant files the non-provisional patent. The provisional patent is valid for only 12 months. There is no examination involved in the provisional stage.

Design Patent

A design patent is a document that protects the patent in terms of appearance, style, and unique operation. An applicant can have both utility and design patents., the life span of a design patent’s validity may last for 14 to 15 years depending on its filling. Some of the examples of design patents include automobiles, furniture, and jewelry. To get a patent design approved, the subject must be unique and not one that exists. It must be original and it should also satisfy the ornamental standards of the invention.

Plant

Plant Patent is another type of patent that a person can also acquire. It is available for the invention or discovery of a new or distinct plant. For a plant patent to be granted, one has to reproduce the plant asexually (reproduction without the fusion of gametes). Plants are patented to keep an inventor’s higher profits and also prevent competitors from using them. An example of a plant patent is an apple tree and rose from the bush taken by cutting pieces of stem without germinating seed.

CONCLUSION

All these different types of patents have their procedures. Failing to follow the steps can lead to disapproval of the application, and not receiving the full protection of an invention. 

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