Protecting Your Intellectual Property

As the Internet has increased the level of people's freedom to information, security has also become a major concern for users who are looking for ways to continue engaging in online processes and protecting their personal or business data at the same time. Acquiring intellectual rights through patents is among the many things that you can do to acquire adequate online and offline protection.

Knowledge

Making the most of your invention requires sufficient understanding of intellectual property. Make sure you know the basics of patents, copyrights, and trademarks to protect your ideas from theft. There have been many cases in the past wherein the wrong person was given credit for certain things that were invented by someone else.

Get a Lawyer

Intellectual property rights is a serious matter that comes with principles that may be very difficult to comprehend fully. Make sure to have a lawyer who can walk you through the process and handle all the arrangements you need for your patent to get across the market. A lawyer can also help you prepare agreements with people and companies that you will potentially work with to sell your invention.

Trust in Technological Solutions

Consider getting an online invention management system. This will help you monitor the progress of your efforts through updated reports and statistics. This tool will help you present your ideas in a more organized manner and this can help you gain a patent more quickly and easily.

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What are the Types of Intellectual Properties?

Companies all over the world have various assets like people, facilities, and money that keep them afloat. However, there are assets that are more abstract and intangible, but are just as crucial to a company's survival, such as corporate plans, designs for new technologies, and even business models. These things can be roughly classified as intellectual properties, which can be further subdivided into four distinct types.

Copyrighted materials like books, paintings and audio CDs are physical versions of abstract ideas such as stories, art, and music that may or may not be released to the public. “Copyright” protects both the physical copy and the idea it contains from tampering and copying. Trademarks, on the other hand, are logos, signs, symbols, or any other thing that is used to distinguish one company from another, especially if there are at least two companies that offer the same product or service.

Patents and trade secrets are closely related in that they're both original ideas and designs, like secret recipes unique to their respective owners, for instance. However, patents have more to do with design concepts, product ideas, and inventions than business models. While patents are usually valid for a period of 20 years, according to the US Patent and Trademark Office, trade secrets are protected for a lifetime and their protection usually hinges on the efforts of the company that owns them rather than an independent body.

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