A Utility Patent includes all types of patents other than Design and Plant patents. In simple terms, a Utility Patent protects the function of an invention, the method of using it, or both. It covers what the invention does, how it is used, or both the apparatus and its method of use.
Compared to a Design Patent application, a Utility Patent application is generally much more complex. However, Design Patent drawings are typically far more detailed and demanding than Utility Patent drawings.
(Excerpted from General Information Concerning Patents print brochure)