What kind of intellectual property do I need to protect my business?
If you plan on owning a business in Indiana, it is important to protect your intellectual property. Intellectual property (IP) is any creative or innovative work that is the result of a unique idea or concept—it can be an invention, a logo, a business name, or a copyrighted work. To protect your business in Indiana, you should register your IP with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or obtain a copyright registration. Registering your trademark will give you exclusive rights to use your business name as the only legitimate name associated with your products and services. It is important to note that you must use your registered trademark in a trademark class that is related to the goods or services your business provides. If you have created an invention or design for a product, you can apply for a U.S. Patent. Patents are granted by the government and give you exclusive rights to your invention, protecting you from anyone else producing or selling your invention. A copyright offers protection for original works such as music, writing, film, and artwork. It essentially prevents others from copying your creative work without your expressed permission. Copyright protection is obtained automatically upon creation of the work and is registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. In order to fully protect your business in Indiana, it is important to register and protect your IP. Registering your trademark, patent, and copyrights will give you exclusive rights to the ideas and concepts that you have created for your business.
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