In German and Austrian patent laws, the Gebrauchsmuster (GebrM), also known as German utility model or Austrian utility model, is a patent-like, intellectual property right protecting inventions.
It mainly differs from the patent in that processes and methods cannot be protected by a Gebrauchsmuster, only products can.
Furthermore, the term of a Gebrauchsmuster, that is its maximum lifetime, is 10 years from the date of registration.
In contrast, a patent has usually a term of 20 years from the date of filing of the application.
The German utility model has some interesting characteristics, when compared to the German patent or to the European patent designating Germany: German utility models are made available to the public directly when they are registered (Eintragungstag, the date of entry of the German utility model in the register of utility models of the Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt (DPMA)), i.e. before the publication date (Bekanntmachung):[1][2] The date of entry [in the register of utility models, or Eintragungstag] corresponds to the date on which a list (typically containing several hundred entries and indicating the IPC class and the DPMA file number of German utility models for each entry) is laid open for inspection at the premises of the DPMA.