What are the types of patents? What is the definition of each type? What is the function?

Invention patent: Article 2, paragraph 2 of China's Patent Law defines invention as: "Invention refers to a new technical scheme proposed for a product, method or its improvement." The invention patent does not seek the technical achievements that can be directly applied to industrial production through practice, but it can be a solution to technical problems or an idea with the possibility of industrial application. However, this technical scheme or idea cannot be confused with a simple topic or idea, because a simple topic or idea does not have the possibility of industrial application.

Utility model: Utility model refers to a new technical scheme for the shape, structure or combination of products. The utility model patent can be granted without substantive examination, with relatively simple procedure and relatively low cost. Therefore, small inventions about tangible products such as daily necessities, machinery and electrical appliances are more suitable for applying for utility model patents.

Design patent: Design refers to a new design that is aesthetically pleasing and suitable for industrial application based on the shape, pattern or combination of color, shape and pattern of a product. The object of design patent protection is the decorative or artistic design of the product, which can be a plane pattern or a three-dimensional shape, and more commonly, the combination of the two.