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Intellectual Property: Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights

Patenting Processes, Methods, and Inventions

A patent legally protects unique processes, methods, and inventions. These are registered with the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO). Normally, the term of a patent is up to 20 years. US patents are effective only within the United States. Patent protection for other countries must be requested individually for each country. There are three types of patents:

1. Utility patent which may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof;

2. Design patents which may be granted to anyone who invents a new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture; and

3. Plant patents which may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers and asexually reproduces any distinct and new variety of plant.

See General Information Concerning Patents at the USPTO site for additional information.