Patents

Law #9.279, enforced on May 14, 1996.
It aims to protect patents of invention and utility models.

Patentes of Invention: Only new devices, novelties and non-prior arts are patentable as inventions.
Demanding innovation on whatever is already known in the market.
The patent of invention will run for 20 (twenty) years as of the filing date.

Utility Model : Would be the novelties applied on already known devices, implying to it a new usage, configuration or practical use.
It refers to improvements applied on already known devices in the market.
The utility model will run for 15 (fifteen) years as of the filing date.

Administrative Procedures For Patent Applications And Utility Models