What is the Difference Between Patent and Utility Model?

The invention standard under patent system· Patent protection is available in almost all major
requires novelty, non-obvious and capable ofcountries.
industrial application. Whereas the invention· Patent protection is actively used.
standard under utility model is lowed to an· Conversion of patent in to utility model is
'innovative step'. For example an innovation patentalways possible
can use products or inventions that have alreadyUtility Model
been invented in a new and innovative way to· The invention which has mainly novelty, but
solve a particular problem.less or absent in inventive step can be protected.
The following points differentiate between Patent· All marginal improvement invention can be
and Utility Modelprotected.
Patents· The term of protection is between 7 and 10
· The invention which has novel, inventive stepyears from the date of filing.
and industrial application can be protected.· The cost to obtain and maintain it is cheaper.
· All new invention or substantial improvement· It does not require substantive examination
invention can be protected.procedure, as it does not require inventive step.
· The term of protection is 20 years from the· To obtain it, requires only less time in the
date of filing.range of 6 months to 1 year.
· The cost to obtain and maintain the patent is· Protection is available only in some countries
very expensive.based on the technology.
· It requires substantive examination of patent· Protection is less actively used.
application to validate patentability.· Converting it in to a patent is possible under
· Longer time [2 to 5 years] is required to obtaincertain circumstances.
a patent.