What are trademarks, patents and copyrights?

Trademarks, patents and copyrights are all forms of intellectual property that are of significant value to Utah businesses. However, these different forms of intellectual property protect different things and provide unique value. The following is a brief overview of trademarks, patents and copyrights.

What is a trademark?

A trademark is a word, phrase, design or combination of these things that is used to provide your goods or services with an identification from the goods or services of others. In addition, a trademark provides an indication of the source of your goods or services. Many trademarks, such as “Coca-Cola” or “Kleenex” are household names. Trademarks can be registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

What is a patent?

Technical inventions, mechanical processes and machine designs that are new, unique and usable are protected by patents. Patents protect inventions and processes by keeping others from copying or selling the invention without the permission of the inventor. Patents are granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

What is a copyright?

Works of art, literary works or other intellectually created works that are original and exist in a tangible form can be copyrighted. For example, a musician can copyright song lyrics they wrote. Copyrights protect your exclusive right to reproduce distribute and perform your created work and prevents others from doing so without your consent. Copyrights can be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office at the Library of Congress.

Learn more about intellectual property law

Ultimately, this post is for educational purposes only and does not contain legal advice. Those who want to learn more about intellectual property are encouraged to explore our firm’s website for further information.