What is Intellectual Property and How Do You Protect It?
Intellectual property refers to a collection of ideas and concepts which a single person or business collectively own. Unlike tangible assets, intellectual property involves things that are created by the mind such as literary works, images used in commerce, or inventions. In the U.S., there are three forms of protection for intellectual property including copyrights, trademarks, and patents. Copyrights: A copyright is a form of protection which applies to written documents. This includes a variety of items including novels, musical compositions and accompanying words, audiovisual works, and architectural drawings and blueprints. When a person holds a copyright, he/she has the right to distribute, modify, perform, and display the work publicly. Trademarks: Trademarks are used to protect a company’s brand name, logo, or slogan. The Nike Swoosh symbol or the name…