Intellectual Property

Intellectual property, as distinguished from real property, pertains to products of the mind (or intellect)—it refers to those rights or entitlements that attach to intangibles such as artistic expressions and technological inventions. Protection is afforded to intellectual property to encourage development of ideas, expressions, and processes for commercial gain.

Types of Intellectual Property

There are various types of intellectual property. Distinctions are made according to the nature of the proprietary innovation.

Copyrights

Intellectual property such as computer software, video games, songs, and movies are granted legal protection in the form of a copyright. A copyright is a set of exclusive legal rights accorded to the expression of a particular literary, artistic, or scientific work. Any moral rights are separate and distinct from the legal rights. The purpose of ...

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