What is a patent?

Patent is defined as “intellectual property right” that is issued on the name of the inventor for his or her idea that has become an invention.

Which idea can be patented?

Any idea that is novice and has no resemblance with any document that is existing anywhere on the globe or an idea that is a significant modification of already working principle or device can be patented. So once you are hook up with an idea to trending problem, checking it for its existence and then working on the idea to be beneficial to the market will finally get you with a patent.

How many types of patent?

Like the saying goes “anything under the sun is made by man” so an idea that can be turned out to be an invention which is created by man can be patented.
Patents have a broad spectrum of range; here it is a short list

• Any mechanical device which means a machine that is new and useful can be patented.
• If your idea can better a process for doing something which is already a known and established process, you can patent it.
• If you find out a new drug molecule that can potentially be a benefit to the medical and sciences then you can patent it. Patenting in this arena is a billion dollar business.
• With the advancing technology computer programs and software are turning out to be a solution for various hassles in life. Any such program that can actually hit the market beneficially can be patented.
• Genetics and biotechnology is the new science era that is always under debate. Genetic organisms can be patented for their sole new properties and appearance.
• Improvements are the other section that has vast number of patents. If your idea can improve an already existing patent it can be patented.
• Not always you have to improve its performance at times there are patents that are taken to make an instrument look different from the original, this type of patents are called design patents.
• Metabolic process can be patented, in the process of isolation of secondary metabolite from a plant if the process can be made much clear and easy, time saving and economical this can be patented. 
• Asexually reproduced plants, these are the plant patents that a botanist inventor can take.
• Laws of nature can also be patented

This will be a never ending list; any new idea that is useful (not always like the perpetual motion machines) and beneficial to the crowd can be patented.
If you have one such idea, reach the nearby patent office and submit your application. But afore make sure that your idea is novel, non- obvious as these are the points that an innovative idea is actually scrutinized for when it reaches the patent office. A proper ground work with a crystal prototype can actually make it easy for one.