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What is Utility Model
- A utility model is a type of intellectual property right, often called a "petty" or "short-term" patent that protects minor technical inventions like useful improvements to existing products. It provides a more affordable and faster alternative to a full patent, with less stringent requirements for inventiveness. Unlike a standard patent, a utility model can be granted more quickly because some countries do not examine it for novelty before granting it, though this can mean a weaker guarantee of validity.
- Key Aspects of Utility Model:-
- Purpose:-To protect inventions that is useful improvements to existing products, such as new technical devices or apparatus.
- Requirements:- The invention must be new and have industrial applicability. The "inventive step" requirement is less stringent than for a full patent.
- Duration: - The term is significantly shorter than a standard patent, often lasting 10 years,
- Process: - It is generally cheaper and faster to obtain than a patent.
