- Understand the purpose of intellectual property law
- Understand different types of intellectual property
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property (IP) is an intangible asset. Intellectual property could have a physical form, but it’s the ownership of the intangible idea or creation that is protected. Patents, copyrights, and trademarks are forms of IP that are protected in the U.S. by federal statutory law. The purpose of protecting IP is to incentivize, or encourage, creation of value through the development of new ideas and inventions. A patent protects an invention; a copyright protects an original work of art or authorship, and a trademark typically protects brand names and logos.[1] In this section, you will learn more about each of these types of IP.
Protecting IP Rights
It’s one thing to establish that you own IP but it’s another thing to protect it in the marketplace, especially foreign markets.
Watch Out for Fakes!
You can view the transcript for “We Went To The Fake Sneaker Capital Of China” here (opens in new window).
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You can view the transcript for “The device that spots fake drugs” here (opens in new window).
- "Protecting Your Trademark: Enhancing Your Rights through Federal Registration." United States Patent and Trademark Office. September 2018. Accessed June 12, 2019. https://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/BasicFacts.pdf. ↵