What You Need to Know About Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights

Patents, trademarks, and copyrights are easily confused. Each one conveys exclusive rights to the holder's Intellectual Property, but the subject matter of each is different. The World Intellectual Property Organization defines intellectual property as "creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce."

To obtain a patent, trademark, or copyright, you usually must first search to see if you can obtain the rights to exclusivity for your intellectual property and then go through a fairly complicated application process with The United States Patent and Trademark Office. If you are successful in obtaining the property protection you seek, no one else can legally use your invention or profit from something you have written, produced or developed. If someone does infringe on your rights, the USPTO does not intervene on your behalf, but the patent, trademark or copyright does give you the basis for entering into litigation to stop the infringement.

The goals of the World Intellectual Property Organization include the development of international standards of protection. The Internet has created many new global issues related to patents, trademarks and copyrights.

Salter and Michaelson can help you determine which kind of protection you need-patent, trademark, or copyright. The firm can also assist you in all phases of the application process, including the search, compiling documents, and answering Office Actions. We can also assist you with domain name problems and concerns.