Patent is essentially a legal recognition of an invention by the state that protects the rights of the inventor in his creation and prevents others from unlawfully using the patented invention or its manufacturing method for a specified period. It allows the inventor to take recourse to legal proceedings against any person who is found to be using his patented invention without his consent.
Patents are divided into three main categories. These are utility patents, design patents, and plant patents.
A design patent provides protection to the visual design of an invention. Therefore, it provides safety to configuration, shape as well as decorative adornments. Design patents are mostly useful for companies that are involved in the business of improving the look of existing products to come up with new variants that have a potential market value.
The second type of patent is a utility patent that protects an innovative and utilitarian product, composition or innovation of a current product. This patent helps in safeguarding the nature or working of a product. It is the most common kind of patent and can be applied in a standalone way or coupled with a design patent.
The third type of patent is known as a plant patent and it is granted for discovery of a unique plant variety, which can be produced asexually. It protects an invention from infringement by way of production or marketing of some part of the plant or the entire plant.
However, there is yet another category of patents, which is called a provisional patent that protects the inventor’s right over his invention provisionally, particularly if he or she does not have the resources to file a detailed application yet. In situations like these, the inventor is allowed to apply for a fresh patent at a later time, though the new patent should not be substantially different from the one filed provisionally. Such a patent is of assistance when you have almost completed the development of your product, but are not yet ready to file a formal patent.
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