How does a business protect its intellectual property?
Intellectual property includes any ideas, designs, processes, and other creative works that a business has created or owns. In Washington, businesses can protect their intellectual property by obtaining copyrights, trademarks, and patents. A copyright provides protection for original works such as books, poems, music, and movies. The copyright protects the creator’s right to reproduce, distribute, and sell the work. It also prevents others from using the same work without permission. Trademarks protect names, logos, and slogans used by a business. A trademark makes sure that no one else can use the same name or logo to promote their own products or services. Trademarks are also used to identify the source of a product. Finally, patents protect inventions and ideas. Patents prevent competitors from using the same invention or idea, and they give the inventor the right to sell the invention or idea. A patent lasts for a specified period of time, usually 20 years. By obtaining copyrights, trademarks, and patents, a business can protect its intellectual property and prevent their competitors from using the same ideas and inventions. In Washington, businesses can also register their intellectual property with the U.S. Copyright Office and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This will give them additional legal protection and make it easier to enforce their rights in court.
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