In item A, from the licensing conditions, the creativity required by the invention patent has outstanding substantive characteristics and remarkable progress, while the creativity required by the utility model patent is relatively low. Item B, invention and utility model are technical schemes, while appearance design is only a design scheme for various elements or combinations of elements in appearance. Although the invention and utility model belong to the same technical scheme, their respective categories are different. Item C, the invention involves a wider range of technical solutions, including both methods and technical solutions of various products, while the utility model does not include methods, but only includes a certain type of technical solutions in products, that is, technical solutions proposed for the shape, structure or combination of products. Item D, from the perspective of authorization procedures, inventions can only be authorized after preliminary examination and substantive examination, and utility models and designs can only be authorized after preliminary examination.