A patent is a grant of an exclusive property right by the government to the patent holder which excludes others from manufacturing or selling the invention for the duration of the patent. Here are the most common types of patents, click to learn more:

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Utility Patents

The Utility Patent is the most common type of patent and covers new and useful process, machine, manufacture, compositions of matter (such as chemical compositions and compounds) or any subsequent new and useful improvement thereof. The utility patent is valid for twenty years from the date of filing of the patent application.

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Design Patents

A design patent protects the ornamental features or the look of an invention. A design patent is valid for fourteen years from the filing date of the application.

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Provisional Patents

A provisional patent application provides a 12 month period to further develop the invention, market and seek licensing agreements. A provisional patent is only a placeholder and a non-provisional patent application must be filed within the 12 month period based on the information contained in the provisional application. If no further action is taken within the 12 months, the patent is invalidated and the orignal file date (or priority date) is lost.

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PCT Patents

The PCT Patent provides 30 months of international protection (in the member countries) starting from the priority date.

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