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What is the difference between a Trademark, Copyright and Patent?

Do Trademarks, Copyrights and Patents protect the same things?
Trademarks, copyrights and patents all “intellectual property” but they differ in what they protect and how you need to obtain protection.  There are some areas of overlap and a single product may be protected under all three areas of law, which adds to many people’s confusion as to what they need. We get calls all the time for people wanting to trademark their idea, or patent their company name. We know what you mean and will educate you regarding what kinds of intellectual property protection are available for your business.

A trademark is a is any word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination of words, phrases, symbols or designs, that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others.  For general information on trademark protection, go to https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/index.jsp .

A copyright is a form of intellectual property law, that protects original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software, and architecture. Copyright does not protect facts, ideas, systems, or methods of operation, although it may protect the way these things are expressed.  For more detailed information on our website click HERE.  For general information on copyright protection, go to https://www.copyright.gov .

A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention, which is a product or a process that provides, in general, a new way of doing something, or offers a new technical solution to a problem.  In order to be patentable, the invention must fulfill certain conditions.  For patent information, go to  the United States Patent and Trademark Office on patents   or to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) website on patents.

Contact the Law Offices of Angela Small Booth
Call The Law Offices of Angela Small Booth at 310.497.1351 or 805.765.5413
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Serving the greater Southern California area
including Irvine, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and Kern Counties