Patent Litigation Lawyer

Trademarks, Copyrights, and Patents are similar in concept yet different in application, specificity and scope.  Because of their many general similarities, people often confuse these ideas.  Here is a basic breakdown of the three:

Copyrights

Copyrights are given to creators of “original works of authorship.”  These original works include literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic creations.  Creators also have to right to reproduce the work, market it, and perform it publicly whenever that applies.  Copyrights protect the mode of expression rather than the subject matter or content in the piece.

Trademarks

A Trademark is a word, name, symbol, or slogan that indicates the source of the good or service from which it came.  It also distinguishes them from other sources.   A trademark however does not protect other from creating to same type of product.

 Patents

A patent is granted to an inventor for the duration of 20 years.  In this time, he may exclude other from making, using offering for sale, or selling the idea or product in development.

Many other distinctions can be made, but these are the more fundamental difference between the three ideas.  For more information call the Williams Kherkher patent specialists at 866.950.9000.