Types of intellectual property protections

There are three main types of intellectual property protection: copyright, patent, and trademark law. In the United States, the development of intellectual property law begins with the U.S. Constitution, which mandated Congress to devise a system of laws to promote 'the progress of science and the useful arts.'

Copyright law protects original forms of expression such as writings, art, drawings, photographs, music, motion pictures, performances, and computer programs from being copied by others for a period of time. Up until 1998, the copyright law protected works of individuals for their lifetime plus 50 years beyond their life. In 1998, Congress extended protection by 20 years, for life plus 70 years for individuals and 95 years for corporate-owned works (the Copyright Term Extension Act).

A patent grants the owner a 20-year exclusive monopoly on the ideas behind an invention. The congressional intent behind patent law was to ensure that inventors of new machines, devices, or industrial methods would receive the full financial and other rewards of their labor and still make widespread use of the invention possible by providing detailed diagrams for those wishing to use the idea under license. There are four types of inventions for which patents are granted: machines, man-made products, compositions of matter, and processing methods.

Trademark law protects words, names, symbols, sounds, or colors that distinguish goods and services from those of competitors. Federal trademarks are granted for a period of 10 years and can be renewed indefinitely, as long as the mark remains in use. Trademarks protect the public in the marketplace by ensuring that consumers get what they pay for, and protect the owner against piracy and misappropriation.