Choosing The Right Type of Patent

In today’s complex world, every inventor should have a basic understanding of patents. Without this knowledge, they will be unable to protect their inventions or defend themselves against lawsuits from other firms.

At GloberDesign, our team understands the need of keeping your idea or invention protected. We recommend protecting your intellectual properties prior to revealing them in the marketplace, which is why we utilize the most professional and certified patent agents and attorneys to handle all of our patent filings. With the importance that patents play, we thought it would be best to share what a patent is as well as the three main types of patents.

What Is A Patent?

A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by the government to an inventor or assignee for a limited duration of time in exchange for full, detailed public disclosure of an invention. An invention is a solution to a specific technological issue and is a product or a process. Patents are a form of intellectual property.

There are industrial design patents, design patents, innovation patents, and many more specific patents for different purposes and products — however, the overall goal is the same: granting rights to a person who invents any new, useful, and non-obvious process, machine, or article of manufacture.

Filing The Right Type of Patent

It is important to know and understand what type of patent to file in order to protect your product design. However, navigating the different types of patents can be a hassle. Where to start and determining which one is right for you and your idea are both important considerations. When working with our experienced product design and manufacturing company, our team will connect you with our best in class patent attorneys and agents that handle all of our patent submissions. However, it helps to understand the available options for your initial meetings.

First off, design, utility and provisional patents are three of the most common that are available for submission. Let’s explore these types of patents further.

Design Patent

A design patent is a legal form of protection for the ornamental design of an article of manufacture, such as the shape of a bottle or the design of a new sneaker. The subject matter of a design patent relates to the shape and surface features of the idea or product. This type of patent is almost entirely made up of drawings or photographs of the design as opposed to words.

Utility Patent

A utility patent is one of the most common patents that first comes to mind. This patent is a long and technical document that informs the public how to use your industrial design. This includes its process and/or system. A good example of this would be new, innovative technologies like new software.

Provisional Patent

Think of a provisional patent application as a potential first step in getting a patent. This is a less formal document that proves the industrial designer was in possession of the invention. A provisional patent can go hand-in-hand with utility patents. This can be particularly useful for inventors. Once you file this type of patent your invention is “patent pending.”. However, following this informal patent, you will need to submit a utility patent within a certain amount of time or you’ll lose the patent.

Which Type of Patent Is Right For You

So how can you tell which patent is right for your idea or product? First off, a provisional patent can be one of your best options as it allows more time for you to apply for a patent, but considering all the ways to protect your new industrial design and product is important. Different patent filings give you different options but to make it simple, a design patent protects the look of the invention, the utility patent will protect how it works, and the provisional patent will give you more time.

If you are wondering which type of patent is right for you, let the team at GloberDesign help! Our experienced and certified patent attorneys and agents handle all of our clients’ patent filings, giving you one less thing to worry about when it comes to your invention or idea. To learn more, contact us today!