In the world of business and commerce, intellectual property (IP) plays a crucial role in protecting creations, ideas, and innovations. U.S. intellectual property law is a complex system that governs the rights to inventions, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets.
Patents
A patent is a unique device or process that is owned by an individual or organization. In the United States, patents are granted for new and useful inventions, such as medicines, agricultural products, and machines.
Trademarks
A trademark is a distinctive sign, symbol, or phrase that identifies a product or service. In the United States, trademarks are protected by law to prevent confusion among consumers.
Copyrights
Copyrights protect original literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works. In the United States, copyrights are granted for a certain number of years after the author's death or publication.
Trade Secrets
Trade secrets are confidential information that is not publicly known and can be used to gain an advantage in business. In the United States, trade secrets are protected under the Uniform Trade Secrets Act.