Intellectual Property
The main intellectual property types (i.e., casual definitions)
- patent: granting a monopoly on invention for a limited time (maximum: 20 years). Patent granted by government
authority (approx $50K). When patent expires, the invention is in public domain.
- copyright: limits the way others can express an idea. Software is considered to be like literature. Copyright automatically
in effect as soon as the expression is written down somewhere. Copyright can last +/- 100 years.
Not as strong a protection as patent. Independently produced material that is the same as copyrighted material,
is copyrighted. Also, there are some built-in exceptions that allow others to use a copyrighted work.
- trademark: association of a 'mark' with (business) entity. Get a trademark for free by using it --
however, can register it with government (approx $5K).
trademark must be defended -- if not defended, then trademark is no longer in effect.
Copyrights and patents do not have to be defended -- they still are in effect, even
if infringed upon.
- Trade secret. When the secret is no longer secret, it has no value. Must be actively defended at all times.