Intellectual Property
Creations of the mind—inventions, artistic works, brand names, and trade secrets—protected by law through patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secret law.
Intellectual property (IP) law protects creations of the mind by granting creators exclusive rights for defined periods. The four main categories are: patents (inventions, 20 years for utility patents), copyrights (original creative works—the author's life plus 70 years), trademarks (brand identifiers—indefinite protection if maintained), and trade secrets (confidential business information protected as long as it remains secret).
IP rights are territorial—US rights do not protect works internationally without separate filings in each country or through international treaties. Patent and trademark registration requires formal USPTO applications; copyright arises automatically upon creation but registration strengthens enforcement rights.
For small businesses and creators, understanding basic IP protections prevents costly mistakes: using someone else's trademark, not registering valuable IP before disclosure, or failing to secure IP assignment agreements when working with contractors who create IP.
Real-World Example
The app developer registered her software's trademark and filed a provisional patent application before launching publicly, securing her IP rights before disclosing the technology.