Trademarks and patents, along with copyrights, constitute the major forms of legal protection for what is commonly referred to as intellectual property. Although the rights in these three kinds of intellectual property protection are somewhat similar, trademarks, patents, and copyrights differ in what they protect. Patents protect inventions, while trademarks protect words, phrases, symbols, and designs. Copyrights protect original artistic, musical, and literary works, including software.

Patents

A patent is a grant of a property right by the United States government, through the Patent and Trademark Office, to the inventor of an invention. The term of this property right is twenty years from the date the patent is granted, as long as the holder of the patent pays maintenance fees. A patent is not a grant of a right to make, manufacture, use, or sell the invention; rather it secures the right to exclude...