Glossary
- Utility patent
- A patent on a new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture or composition of matter; generally 20 years from filing.
- Design patent
- A patent on the ornamental design of an article; 15 years from grant for applications filed on or after May 13, 2015.
- Trademark
- A word, phrase, symbol or design that identifies the source of goods or services.
- Copyright
- Protection for original works of authorship, such as writing, music, art and software code.
- Trade secret
- Valuable business information protected by being kept secret rather than registered.
- Provisional application
- A lower-cost U.S. filing that holds a filing date for 12 months; it is not examined and must be followed by a nonprovisional application to keep the date.
- USPTO
- The United States Patent and Trademark Office.
- Patent attorney
- A lawyer admitted to a state bar who has also passed the patent bar and is registered with the USPTO.
- Patent agent
- A non-lawyer registered by the USPTO to prepare and prosecute patent applications.