Patents vs. Trademarks vs. Copyrights

Patents are legal rights issued to inventors to protect their inventions for a certain time, usually 20 years.9 They exclude others from reproducing, using, or profiting from it without the expressed permission of the patent owner. The granting authority issues a patent in exchange for permission to publish details about the invention, such as how it's made and what it's used for.

Trademarks are legal protections on words, phrases, designs, or marks that identify a specific product or service. Trademarks are intellectual property that contribute to the image and reputation of the product or service to which it belongs, and to the company to which it belongs. Beyond symbolism, a trademark can be incredibly valuable to a company, prompting some companies to include them in their valuation. Trademarks are protected forever, as long as it's in use and the holder can defend it. Examples of trademarks include the golden arch for McDonald's, the Nike swoosh, and Apple's apple.

Copyrights are legal protections on creative works of the mind, or according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office "original works of authorship." They include visual art, literary works, other writings, choreography, and software. Copyrights prevent others from reproducing the work without the expressed permission of the copyright owner. Like other intellectual property, copyrights are granted for a specific time, allowing the holder to benefit from its creation. Copyrights are granted for the maximum period of 70 years from the death of the author. Exceptions apply to works for hire and anonymous works.10

Copyrights for works for hire or anonymous works are granted for 95 years from its publication or 120 years from creation, which occurs first.10

Patent FAQs

What Does Patent Mean?

A patent is a legal right to an invention given to a person or entity without interference from others who wish to replicate, use, or sell it. Patents are granted by governing authorities and have a time limit, usually 20 years.

How Much Is a Patent?

Patent costs vary according to the type of patent applied for and are based on several other factors, such as the type of applicant, provisional or nonprovisional status, and associated fees—search fees, examination fees, post-allowance fees, and more. If using the services of an attorney, you can expect costs to range from approximately £ 4,000 to more than £ 45,000.

What’s a patent?

Patents are legal rights granted to inventors for their creations. Government divisions issue patents and other intellectual property rights. Patent rights give exclusive rights to use, replicate, or sell the protected invention without interference from others who wish to do the same. In exchange, the issuing authority is granted the right to publish the details of the invention.