Aldrich Law Firm, Ltd.
Aldrich Law Firm, Ltd.

Call us toll free at
877-508-0433Good People Deserve Good Lawyers. ®

Call us toll free at
877-508-0433
Good People Deserve Good Lawyers. ®

The basics of intellectual property

In the state of Nevada, intellectual property laws protect certain products of human intellect from being used by others without proper authorization. Because it is not a tangible good, this subject can be a bit confusing to understand. It is a good idea to know what constitutes intellectual property, how to register this property and know how to report related issues. 

According to Cornell Law School, intellectual property typically falls under four general categories. These include:

  • Copyright – protects works of authorship, including those related to software, sound recordings, architectural designs and graphic arts
  • Patent – excludes others for a limited amount of time from using, building, selling or importing an innovation 
  • Trade Secrets – constitutes any valuable information that provides a commercial entity with an advantage over other competitors
  • Trademark – refers to any symbol, design or name that identifies a specific commercial product separate from another

These forms of intellectual property are regulated by either state or federal laws, although trademarks are governed by both.

The federal organization that is in charge of approving and regulating intellectual property is the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Both patents and trademarks can be applied for and filed online through the website. Fees range from $45 for a micro entity fee for some patents to $600 for the paper filing of an international trademark application. The USPTO also develops policy, investigates policy issues and protects intellectual property both domestically and internationally. To cover all areas, it partners with organizations around the world to enforce current rules and laws.

 

John P. Aldrich
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