ME 2300: Introduction to Engineering Design: Patents

There are 3 main types of patents:

1. Utility: for the new and useful process, machine, manufacture, the composition of matter or any new and useful improvement thereof.
2. Design: appearance of an item is protected. Patent must be an original design for a manufactured item.
3. Plant: for invented or discovered and asexually reproduced distinct and new variety of plant, including cultivated sports, mutants, hybrids, newly found seedlings, and living organisms.

Look for articles about new patents on tech news websites like cnet.com and Patently Apple. Often these sites will give the patent number. Search for the patent number in GooglePatents to find the full text of the patent. For example, the cnet.com article Apple patent hints at 'bone conduction' headphones mentions the patent number US9363596. Searching for this number in GooglePatents, we can find the full text of the patent.