7 Key Differences Between Patent, Copyright and Trademark
Understanding key differences between Patent, Copyright, and Trademark are important. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protect ideas, creativity, and brand identity. Patents secure inventions for about 20 years, copyrights protect original creative works for the author’s lifetime plus 70 years, and trademarks safeguard brand names and logos with renewable protection.
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7 Key Differences Between Patent, Copyright and Trademark: Intellectual property rights protect creations and innovations. Patents shield inventions, giving exclusive rights for about 20 years. Copyrights secure original artistic or literary works for the creator's life plus 70 years. Trademarks safeguard brand identifiers like logos, lasting indefinitely with renewal. Understanding these 7 Key Differences Between Patent, Copyright, and Trademark is important for creators.
What is Intellectual Property Rights?
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protect human ideas and creativity. These rights give legal recognition to inventions, artistic works, and brand identifiers. Knowing the 7 Key Differences Between Patent, Copyright, and Trademark helps individuals and businesses protect their unique contributions.
What is Patent?
A patent grants an inventor exclusive rights to make, use, or sell an invention. This protection typically lasts 20 years from the application date. An invention must be new, non-obvious, and useful to qualify for a patent.
Types of Patents
There are three main types of patents:
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Utility Patents: These cover new and useful inventions, such as machines, chemical processes, or software.
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Design Patents: These protect the original ornamental design of a manufactured item.
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Plant Patents: These are for new varieties of asexually reproduced plants.
What is Copyright?
Copyright protects original works of authorship. This includes books, music, art, films, and computer code. Protection starts automatically once the work is created and saved in a tangible form.
Copyright Eligibility
To gain copyright protection, a work must meet two criteria:
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Originality: The work must be the creator's own original effort.
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Fixation: The work must exist in a physical form, like a written manuscript or a recording.
What is a Trademark?
A trademark is a symbol, word, phrase, or design. It identifies and distinguishes the source of goods or services. Trademarks help customers recognize products and prevent confusion in the market.
7 Key Differences Between Patent, Copyright, and Trademark
Understanding the distinctions is important for intellectual property protection. The table below outlines the core differences.
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7 Key Differences Between Patent, Copyright, and Trademark |
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|---|---|---|---|
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Basis of Difference |
Patent |
Copyright |
Trademark |
|
Definition |
Right for new inventions, products. |
Protection for original works of authorship. |
Protection for brand identifiers. |
|
Purpose |
Protect inventions; stop unauthorized use. |
Protect creative works from unauthorized copy. |
Distinguish goods/services from rivals. |
|
Scope of Protection |
Functional, technical product aspects. |
Literary, artistic, creative expressions. |
Brand identity elements in commerce. |
|
Duration |
Usually 20 years from filing. |
Creator's life plus 70 years. |
Indefinite, with renewals. |
|
Registration |
Required at patent office. |
Automatic; registration offers added legal rights. |
Recommended; strengthens legal protection. |
|
Geographic Scope |
Territorial; country-specific. |
Territorial; treaties expand recognition. |
Territorial; treaties expand recognition. |
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Example |
New battery technology. |
A best-selling novel. |
A company logo or product name. |