- Utility Patent: A utility patent is granted to someone who invents or discovers a new process, machine, article of manufacture, or invents an improvement to a process, machine, etc. Utility patents last for 20 years.
- Design Patent: A design patent can be granted to someone who invents a new, original, or ornamental design for an article of manufacture. Design patents last for 14 years, and are usually not considered as desirable as utility patents.
- Plant Patent: A plant patent can be issued to anyone who invents or discovers and reproduces a new variety of plant.
Patents
If you believe you should seek a patent for an invention, contact our qualified patent attorneys at Schneiders & Associates, L.L.P. Obtaining a patent can be a complex process, and our experienced intellectual property law firm can help both with the legal aspects of the patent and with understanding the scientific issues involved.
A patent is an exclusive intellectual property right granted to an inventor by the government in exchange for publicly disclosing the invention. A patent includes a written description of how to make and use the invention; and one or more claims that define the boundaries of the invention.
Once an invention is patented, the patent gives the patent owner the exclusive right to prevent others to make, use, sell or import that invention for a limited amount of time. Without a patent, anyone can make or sell another’s invention without permission or payment.
Patents are only granted to new, useful, and non-obvious inventions which generally take one of three forms: