Types of Patents

There are three types of patents which are classified as follows:

Utility patent protects any new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or compositions of matters, or any new useful improvement thereof.

Design patent protects a new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture.

Plant patent is granted to a person who invents or discovers and asexually reproduces any distinct and new variety of plant.

Provisional patent can be obtained to temporarily secure a filing date for 12 months. A provisional patent is a quick and inexpensive way to initially protect your invention with limited rights before deciding to file for a full patent. Learn more in the article Understanding Provisional Patents. Note that a provisional patent can only lead into a utility or plant patent and not a design patent.

Thoughts to Paper is able to offer utility, design, and provisional patent applications which are handled by licensed patent firms.

Source: USPTO