Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights by: William Turville

Patents ® What is a patent?- A patent is a grant of a right to the inventor by the government the right to exclude others from making or using the invention for a select time period usually 20 years. How do you register a patent?- You must file a patent application with the USPTO the patent application costs vary by the type of filing.

Advantages and disadvantages for Patents Advantage- Granting the right to produce a product without fear of competition for the duration of the patent Disadvantage- A Patent is only a limited time offer usually 20 years at the most

Trademarks ™ What is a trademark?- A trademark is the right to use a specific name, word, phrase, symbol, logo, design, sound or color to identify your products and distinguish them form other products. The name must be sufficiently unique-you can’t obtain trademark rights to generic term like “computers” or “coffee” How do your register a trademark?- In order to register a trademark you must undertake a filing with the USPTO. Pricing is $375 per class for paper filings and $325 per class for electronic filings. Also common law usage of a name or logo begins as soon as you start using it in commerce but protection for common law marks is limited.

Advantages and Disadvantages of a Trademark Advantage- protects brand names and corporate logos/ it safeguard the provider of a service instead of a tangible good. Disadvantage- you can’t use a symbol or brand name if it looks similar, sounds similar, or has a similar meaning to one that’s already on the books- at least if the products or services are related. If a trademark holder believes it violates these right they may decide to sue.

Copyrights © What is copyright?- A copyright is a form of protection provided to authors of original works of authorship, including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. How do you register a copyright?- While copyright registration is no necessary, copyright law provides advantages to those who have filed a legal copyright. Filing a copyright with the United States Copyright Office costs $35 for an online filing paper filings range from $50 to $65.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Copyright Advantages- copyright will protected for life and 70 years after the author’s death. Protects writings art architecture and music. The copyright owner has the sole right to display share perform or license the material with the exception of fair use which allows some degree of distribution of copyrighted material for scholarly educational or news-reporting purposes Disadvantages- it’s a long process and if your employer makes you do a copyright as part of your job the employer not you retains the copyright.

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Conclusion The decision to pursue a patent, trademark or copyright depends on the type of intellectual property you’re trying to shield. Whether it’s a new product, logo or creative work, registering your idea with the appropriate body can help ensure you enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Works Cited https://www.bizfilings.com/toolkit/research-topics/protecting-your- ideas/understanding-patents-trademarks-and-copyrights https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/111014/patents- trademarks-and-copyrights-basics.asp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQpaKJjEQR8