Plant Patent Patent granted to anyone who has invented or discovered and asexually reproduced any distinct and new variety of plant, including cultivated sports, mutants, hybrids, and newly found seedlings, other than a tuber-propagated plant or a plant found in an uncultivated state. Asexually propagated plants are those that are reproduced by means other than from seeds, such as by the rooting of cuttings, by layering, budding, grafting, inarching, etc. A plant patent is granted for a term of 20 years. Utility Patent Patent granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof. Process is defined by law as a process, act or method, and primarily includes industrial or technical processes.
Manufacture refers to articles which are made, and includes all manufactured articles.
Composition of matter relates to chemical compositions and may include mixtures of ingredients as well as new chemical compounds. Patent Pending Used by a manufacturer or seller of an article to inform the public that an application for patent on that article is on file in the Patent and Trademark Office. The law imposes a fine on those who use these terms falsely to deceive the public. Assignee Company or party to whom the inventor assigns the right to use the invention. Patent Numbers Dating from 1836, patents have been numbered.