Copyright is a type of intellectual property protection that gives exclusive rights to the persons who create original works. These works may include literary, musical, artistic, dramatic, or other intellectual or creative works. Copyright is a form of intellectual property law, and it applies both to published and unpublished works. The law gives protection to the copyright holder of the original work, giving the person complete control over the work and authorize its use. The protection starts from the moment a person files the required documents to the United States Copyright Office and covers every aspect of the economy. Copyright does not offer protection for ideas. This means that you cannot copyright ideas or facts. The work has to be on a tangible medium. Works that are still intangible, and are not rendered onto a physical, tangible medium, are considered ideas and cannot be copyrighted. Unlawful usage of copyrighted works is known as copyright infringement. If a person or e...
Submitting a trademark application is the first step in protecting your intellectual property. Intellectual property is a product of your mind and deserves to be protected as you would anything else. This guide to trademarks and trademark searching will help you through the trademark application process but as always, if there is anything you do not understand, contact patent and trademark attorneys in Monroe County for assistance. Intellectual Property Protection Understanding the different types of intellectual property protection will help you determine what you need. Trademark A trademark is defined by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as “a word, phrase, symbol, and/or design that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others.” Trademarks can last forever, as long as they are in continuous use of indicating goods and services. While trademark registration is not mandatory, federal registration of a trademark with t...