Post by dane on Jan 9, 2018 11:21:17 GMT -5
The financial picture of a business isn't measured solely by the amount of money it makes. Assets including intellectual property can boost a company's net worth. Companies have the right to file suit against others who use their intellectual property without permission. Copyrights and trademarks help provide protection from illegal use
Intellectual Property Protection
Intellectual property includes works, processes, symbols and designs that were created or are owned by a company. This can include logos and slogans, and written documents or artistic works. To enforce the ownership and right to use intellectual property, the business owner must register it at the United States Patent and Trademark Office or the United States Copyright Office, depending on the type of property a business wants to protect.
Copyright Protection
According to the United States Copyright Office, copyright protects original works including "literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works." For example, a business can copyright its books, reports, audio or video materials.Work is automatically copyrighted at the time of creation; however, registration is required if a business wants to sue over the use of the material by another party. Copyright registration requires the filing of a form, paying a fee, and sending a copy of the work to the United States Copyright Office.
Trademark Protection
The United States Patent and Trademark Office indicates that a trademark protects "words, names, symbols, sounds or colors that distinguish goods and services from those manufactured or sold by others and to indicate the source of the goods." This means that a company can register a trademark for its business name, slogans, logos and other items that essentially brand the product or company. Registering a trademark first requires doing a trademark search to ensure it's not already in use. Because of the legal ramifications, most trademark experts recommend using an attorney to assist in trademark registration.
The Difference Between Copyright and Trademark
While both offer intellectual property protection, they protect different types of assets. Copyright is geared toward literary and artistic works, such as books and videos. A trademark protects items that help define a company brand, such as its logo. For example, Acme Publishing Company can trademark its name and logo, but would copyright books and videos that it created.
Intellectual Property Protection
Intellectual property includes works, processes, symbols and designs that were created or are owned by a company. This can include logos and slogans, and written documents or artistic works. To enforce the ownership and right to use intellectual property, the business owner must register it at the United States Patent and Trademark Office or the United States Copyright Office, depending on the type of property a business wants to protect.
Copyright Protection
According to the United States Copyright Office, copyright protects original works including "literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works." For example, a business can copyright its books, reports, audio or video materials.Work is automatically copyrighted at the time of creation; however, registration is required if a business wants to sue over the use of the material by another party. Copyright registration requires the filing of a form, paying a fee, and sending a copy of the work to the United States Copyright Office.
Trademark Protection
The United States Patent and Trademark Office indicates that a trademark protects "words, names, symbols, sounds or colors that distinguish goods and services from those manufactured or sold by others and to indicate the source of the goods." This means that a company can register a trademark for its business name, slogans, logos and other items that essentially brand the product or company. Registering a trademark first requires doing a trademark search to ensure it's not already in use. Because of the legal ramifications, most trademark experts recommend using an attorney to assist in trademark registration.
The Difference Between Copyright and Trademark
While both offer intellectual property protection, they protect different types of assets. Copyright is geared toward literary and artistic works, such as books and videos. A trademark protects items that help define a company brand, such as its logo. For example, Acme Publishing Company can trademark its name and logo, but would copyright books and videos that it created.