Intellectual Property Choices
Intellectual Property Rights Protection Rights to Choose From Include Protection Rights to Choose From Include Patents Patents Trademarks Trademarks Copyrights Copyrights Trade Secrets Trade Secrets
Patents Protect novel inventions; Granted by the Federal Government to exclude others from Protect novel inventions; Granted by the Federal Government to exclude others from making, using, offering to sell & selling the invention making, using, offering to sell & selling the invention for a limited period for a limited period
Trade Secrets Protects commercially valuable information Protects commercially valuable information For an indefinite period For an indefinite period but may be “reversed engineered” but may be “reversed engineered”
Trademarks Protect Protect novel words, slogans, symbols, or logos novel words, slogans, symbols, or logos used in marketing & advertising used in marketing & advertising for an indefinite period for an indefinite period as long as in use as long as in use
Copyrights Protect the original expression of an idea; Protect the original expression of an idea; NOTE: does not protect the underlying idea NOTE: does not protect the underlying idea Acquired when expression is created Acquired when expression is created Lasts for a lifetime plus 70 years Lasts for a lifetime plus 70 years or for 95 years for a corporation after publication or for 95 years for a corporation after publication