Mount Pleasant Patent Attorneys & Lawyers

Utility Patent vs. Design Patent

The difference between a utility patent and a design patent is that:

• The utility patent is a trademark protection that makes sure a person has full control over his or her invention.
• A design patent is used when you create a new design for an existing product.

What Is a Utility Patent?

The utility patent is a trademark protection that makes sure a person has full control over his or her invention. More than 90 percent of all patents issued each year are utility patents.

You receive a utility patent when you invent a new process, machine, or manufacturing system. A utility patent lists an invention's elements and declares how much it covers for the invention. A utility patent is more valuable than a design patent because the utility is the hardest part to create.

Think of the utility pate

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What is a patent citation search?

A patent citation search is a patent search of the titles that legally protect inventions from infringement and describe in detail how these inventions look and work based on the references they provide. You can search for patent citations on their own or use a patent citation search to enhance a keyword or classification search.

Understanding Patents

Patents grant inventors the right to exclusively profit from their inventions. They place an inventor's knowledge into a legal realm to protect it against infringement.

The United States Trademark Office (USPTO) grants patents within the United States to original, innovative, functional, and useful patent applications.

Outside the United States, patents are issued by other government bodies including:

• The European Patent Office (EPO)
• The

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What Is a Design Patent?

Knowing how to patent a design is a part of our how to patent an idea series.

A design patent gives you legal claim to your original design, the ability to use and sell it, and the right to profit from the unique look of an object. If you want to patent a design you can file a Design Patent Application With the USPTO.

Design patents only protect the look of an object. They aren't the same as utility patents, which cover how objects work and how they're used. A design has to meet some basic requirements to qualify for a patent:

• It doesn't affect the function of an object.

• It is integral to an object and can't be removed.

How to Patent a Design

1. Decide Whether to Hire a Design Patent Attorney

If

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How Much Does it Cost?

A patent can cost from $900 for a do-it-yourself application to between $5,000 and $10,000+ with the help of patent lawyers.

A patent protects an invention and the cost of the process to get the patent will depend on the type of patent (provisional, non-provisional, or utility) and the complexity of the invention.

The Cost of Each Patent Application Type

Before you can think about patent costs, you must come up with a unique product idea that doesn't copy prior art. Prior art is any idea or product that already exists. After you have an original idea, you are ready to file a patent application.

The cost of filing a patent application can usually be divided into three parts: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) filing fees, lawyer fees, and drawing fees.

When you think about how simple or how complex ideas and inventions can be, you can understand why patents have different costs.

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What Is a Patent?

Before learning how to apply for a patent, you have to first understand that a patent is a property right that gives you, as an inventor, the right to sue others who try to use, make, or sell your invention without your permission. According to US law, only the inventor of an item can file a patent application for it.

If you want to protect your invention from thieves, you need to file a patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. However, before you prepare the application, you should make sure your invention is patentable, perform research, and hire a qualified attorney.

There are three main types of patents that you may choose to apply for:

• Utility patents are the most common. They cover inventions that have a specific function. Software patents are a type of utili

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