What are the different types of patents?

In Rhode Island, Patent Law is part of the larger area of Intellectual Property Law, which protects ideas and inventions. A patent is a form of legal protection granted for an invention or idea. In the United States, patents are granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). There are three main types of patents: utility, design, and plant patents. A utility patent protects how an invention or idea works, functions, or is used. This type of patent can cover new machines, processes, chemicals, devices, and manufactures. A design patent protects the look of a product or invention, but not how it works. Design patents can cover the ornamental design of a product, such as a chair or a shoe. A plant patent covers new breeds of plants created through asexual reproduction techniques. These three types of patents provide creators and inventors with exclusive rights for a set amount of time. This allows creators to benefit financially from their inventions and ideas by preventing others from using, making, or selling their invention without their permission. In Rhode Island, patent law is enforced under the federal government’s IP laws, so it is important to understand the different types of patents and how they work.

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