A utility model is a statutory exclusive right granted for a limited period of time (the so-called "term") in exchange for an inventor providing sufficient teaching of his or her invention to permit a person of ordinary skill in the relevant art to perform the invention. The rights conferred by utility model laws are similar to those granted by patent laws, but are more suited to what may be considered as "incremental inventions". Specifically, a utility model is a "right to prevent others, for a limited period of time, from commercially using a protected invention without the authorization of the right holder(s)."
Terms such as "petty patent", "innovation patent", “short-term patents”, "minor patent", and "small patent" are generally considered to fall within the definition of "utility model". The German and Austrian utility model is called the "Gebrauchsmuster", which influenced some other countries such as Japan.
An innovation patent is granted automatically after a formalities check without substantive examination, however, infringement proceedings cannot be instituted unless and until the innovation patent has been certified, which requires a substantive examination. Examination cannot proceed until the innovation patent has been granted. Innovation patents have a maximum term of eight years subject to payment of annual renewal fees payable from the second anniversary of the date of filing. Innovation patents are available to persons outside Australia, but an Australian address for service must be provided. Innovation patent specifications must be prepared by a registered patent attorney unless the application proceeds as a Convention application or as a divisional application. Innovation patent applications cannot proceed as national phase of an international patent application (see Patent Cooperation Treaty), but can proceed as a divisional application from an international patent application that is open to public inspection.
In Italy, a utility model (in Italian: 'Modello d'utilità') is considered to be new if it does not form part of the state of the art. The state of the art comprises any knowledge made available to the public by means of a written or oral disclosure, anywhere in the World, before the filing date of the application or the priority date (if claimed). The utility model must also involve an inventive step, i.e. machines, devices or items which are claimed in the utility models must be more effective and/or easier to use than the ones according to prior art. Utility models cannot claim processes or methods. At the time of filing the application a filing fee is due which also covers the maintenance for years 1 to 4. No claim fee is provided. The Italian Patent and Trademark Office (UIBM) does not perform substantive examination of the application in order to assess novelty and inventive step of what is claimed; the examination is limited to formal requirements only. Publication occurs at 18 months from the filing date or the oldest priority date, if any; at the time of filing the application the applicant may request advance publication, which normally occurs within 90 days. In any case only bibliographic data are published after 1 month from the filing. Grant generally occurs within 2 years. The validity of an Italian utility model is ascertained by the Judge and his/her technical expert, during litigation. At the end of the fourth year from the filing of the application, a maintenance fee for the years 5 to 10 falls due. Foreign companies/residents must indicate an address of service in Italy, that may correspond to the domicile of a lawyer or, as always occurs, a chartered patent attorney.
Unlike patent claims, which can be issued in Russia on processes and compositions-of-matter, Russian utility model claims are limited to devices only. Other requirements include novelty and industrial applicability. Noteworthy, although in assessing novelty any printed material anywhere in the world constitutes prior art for both utility models and patents, public use outside of Russia is considered as prior art only for patents, but not for utility models.
Unlike in most other countries, having a patent and a utility model for the same invention is not allowed in Russia. However, it is possible to have a Russian utility model and a Eurasian patent for the same invention. The main advantage of a utility model in Russia is a very short prosecution time (usually, no more than 6 moths) and a low cost. The duration of a utility model is 10 years from the priority date, and this term cannot be extended (since 2014).
Recent changes in Spanish patent law have opened the door to protect more types of inventions. The exclusions from the scope of protection of utility models are processes, inventions aimed at biological matter, and pharmaceutical substances and compositions intended for use as a medicament in human or veterinary medicine.
Utility model applications may be prepared and filed at local patent offices in countries where utility model protection is available.
The table below is a list of countries having utility model protection under various names as at March 2008.
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WIPO - utility models https://www.wipo.int/patents/en/topics/utility_models.html
Standard ST.16, from the World Intellectual Property Organization https://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/standards/en/pdf/03-16-01.pdf
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U. Suthersanen, Incremental Inventions in Europe: A Legal and Economic Appraisal of Second Tier Patents, in Journal of Business Law, 2001, 319 ff
"Practical Advice - Seeking utility model protection instead of patent protection". PCT Newsletter (5/2018). WIPO. May 2018. https://www.wipo.int/pct/en/newslett/practical_advice/pa_052018.html
"Practical Advice - Seeking utility model protection instead of patent protection". PCT Newsletter (5/2018). WIPO. May 2018. https://www.wipo.int/pct/en/newslett/practical_advice/pa_052018.html
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Utility Model Law § 3 Abs. 1
Italian Patent Law, Decree n. 30 of February 10, 2005 http://www.parlamento.it/parlam/leggi/deleghe/05030dl.htm
Articles 147, 148 e-bis and 201 of the Italian patent Law, literally "Codice della Proprietà Industriale", issued as Law Decree no. 30 of February 10, 2005.
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"WIPO Lex — Czech Republic: Intellectual Property Laws and Treaties". WIPO Lex. Retrieved 2011-08-20. http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/profile.jsp?code=CZ
"WIPO Lex — Denmark: Intellectual Property Laws and Treaties". WIPO Lex. Retrieved 2011-08-20. http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/profile.jsp?code=DK
"WIPO Lex — Ecuador: Intellectual Property Laws and Treaties". WIPO Lex. Retrieved 2011-08-20. http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/profile.jsp?code=EC
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"WIPO Information by Country: France". http://www.wipo.int/directory/en/details.jsp?country_code=FR
""InnovAccess", National Information: France (utility models)". http://www.innovaccess.eu/national_information.php?ct=FR&ip=utility_model&sb=how_to_file
""InnovAccess", National Information: France (patents)". http://www.innovaccess.eu/national_information.php?ct=FR&ip=patents&sb=how_to_file
"WIPO Information by Country: Georgia". http://www.wipo.int/directory/en/details.jsp?country_code=GE
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"WIPO Information by Country: Ghana". http://www.wipo.int/directory/en/details.jsp?country_code=GH
"WIPO Information by Country: Greece". http://www.wipo.int/directory/en/details.jsp?country_code=GR
"WIPO Information by Country: Guatemala". http://www.wipo.int/directory/en/details.jsp?country_code=GT
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"WIPO Information by Country: Hungary". http://www.wipo.int/directory/en/details.jsp?country_code=HU
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"WIPO Information by Country: Ireland". http://www.wipo.int/directory/en/details.jsp?country_code=IE
"WIPO Information by Country: Italy". http://www.wipo.int/directory/en/details.jsp?country_code=IT
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"WIPO Information by Country: Lao People's Democratic Republic". http://www.wipo.int/directory/en/details.jsp?country_code=LA
"WIPO Information by Country: Lesotho". http://www.wipo.int/directory/en/details.jsp?country_code=LS
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