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Patent Law
Overview
Patents grant an inventor the right to exclude others from producing or using the inventor's discovery or invention for a limited period of time. Patent grants from United States patent office also other laws to protect Patentability . The role of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is to grant patents for the protection of inventions, Patentability and to register trademarks.
Patent applications generally relate to the following specific types of patents to be granted.
Utility Patent
The best-known patent application is the Utility patent. These types of patents include tools, games, toys, electronics, vehicle parts, high-tech devices and low-tech devices. One would apply for a utility patent to protect the functionality of an invention. For example, a broom has the function of gathering and collecting dirt on the ground in an easier manner than if a person would merely use their hands.
Design Patent
A design patent is fundamentally different from a utility patent. In short, a design patent protects the look of an item and not its function. Relating to the broom from the above example, the inventor filing for a design patent would not receive a patent on the dust-gathering function of the broom, but he or she would instead get a patent for a broom handle connected to a brush. In this manner, the look of the broom would be protected but not the function.
Plant Patent
Researchers and developers often devote a countless amount of time producing new or original varieties of plants via asexual reproduction. This is a specialty patent that can become a powerful tool in the right situation.
Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Application
Depending on the circumstances, it might be advantageous to apply for a PCT Application before applying for a Utility patent application. Most American, Asian, and European countries are signatories of the PCT, which provides patent applicants with a priority date in every country that is part of the PCT. Aside from extending this protection beyond the United States, the PCT is important because the USPTO often considers the application more quickly than a regular Utility application.
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