What are those four types of patent?

1. Utility Patent: This is what most people envision when they consider a patent. It is a lengthy technical document that instructs the general public on how to use a new machine, process, or system. Congress defines the types of inventions that are protected by utility patents. New technologies such as genetic engineering and internet-delivered software are pushing the boundaries of what types of inventions can be protected by utility patents.

2. Provisional Patent: In the United States, inventors can file a less formal document that proves they had possession of the invention and had adequately figured out how to make it work. Once this is done, the invention becomes patent pending. However, if the inventor does not file a formal utility patent within a year of filing the provisional patent, he or she will forfeit this filing date. Any public disclosures made in reliance on that provisional patent application will now be considered public disclosures to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

3. Design Patent: This patent protects an ornamental design on a functional item. A design patent can protect the shape of a bottle or the design of a shoe, for example. The document is almost entirely made up of images or drawings of the useful item's design. Design patents are notoriously difficult to search due to the fact that they contain very few words. Design patents have recently been used by software companies to protect elements of user interfaces and even the shape of touchscreen devices.

4. Plant Patent: A plant patent is exactly what it sounds like it protects new types of plants created through cuttings or other nonsexual means. Plant patents, in general, do not cover genetically modified organisms and instead concentrate on traditional horticulture.