Ornamental and functional designs are protected by patents,as explained at Get Design Patent Help. Artistic creations are also covered.
Despite the fact that patenting can be a complex and expensive process,some knowledge can simplify it. The first step is to determine whether you need a utility or design patent.
A utility patent protects inventions that are useful in some way. It is likely that you would want a utility patent on your invention if it was,for instance,a new and improved method for making ice cream. A Design Patent protects the appearance or shape of something as opposed to its function.
The second thing to do when considering patents for an invention is to decide what type of protection you will seek. Utility Patents and Design Patents each have their advantages and disadvantages.
A utility patent application must include drawings of how your product works. For design patent applications (Need Help with Design Patents?),the diagrams must depict the exact appearance of your device or packaging.
Although it is not always necessary to include extra drawings with design patents,sometimes it would be helpful to include additional pictures that show how your product works and/or its main features.
For example,if you have an electronic device with several buttons,but no one can figure out which button does what without looking at the drawing,then including such a diagram could help prevent others from using your invention as prior art against you.
Who was issued the first patent?
In the United States,the first time that an inventor registered his or her invention was in 1790. The invention was for a process of making potash,a fertilizer ingredient.
The US has various types of intellectual property protection,suited to different products and works for art. Copyright protects original works such as films and books from being copied,in contrast with patents which cover mechanisms and designs. Text in a book and movie can include both text and images. Copyright does not protect ideas; it only covers how those ideas can be expressed.
A utility patent protects only one thing: the actual invention itself. It does not cover how you built it,what materials were used in its construction,nor any other aspects of manufacturing.
For more information on design patents,a helpful resource is Houston patent attorney.