What are the different types of patents?

When it comes to protecting intellectual property, patents are an essential tool for inventors and innovators. However, not all patents offer the same protection. Each type is designed to cover specific aspects of an invention, depending on its nature. There are essentially four types of patents, each serving a unique purpose:
– Utility Patent: This type of patent protects new inventions or discoveries that offer a functional solution, such as machines, methods, processes, or compositions of matter. Utility patents are granted for inventions that provide a practical utility or improvement.
– Design Patent: A design patent focuses on protecting the unique visual appearance of a product, including its shape, surface ornamentation, or colour. Unlike utility patents, which cover the functional aspects of an invention, design patents safeguard the aesthetic and artistic qualities of a product.
– Plant Patent: This patent is granted to inventors who discover or develop a new variety of plant, protecting the plant’s unique characteristics. It prevents others from reproducing, selling, or using the plant without the inventor’s permission.
– Provisional Patent Application (PPA): A provisional patent application provides inventors with a temporary filing that secures a priority date for an invention. This gives the inventor 12 months to further develop the invention before filing a full, non-provisional patent application to formally seek patent protection.