A design patent protects the appearance of an object. It is directed at protecting surface ornamentation, configuration of parts, shape of the article or a combination of these elements. A utility patent, on the other hand, is obtained to protect the novel, non-obvious functional designs.
This course will focus primarily on design patents. The student will learn how to identify patentable designs and how to conduct free patent searches. You will learn the differences between design patents, utility patents, trademarks and copyright. You will learn how to prepare drawings for patent submittal and how the patent submittal and review process works.