What is the difference between copyright and design protection?
Copyright protection and design protection are both forms of intellectual property law in Washington State. Copyright protection applies to original works of authorship, including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software, and architecture. Copyright protection does not apply to ideas or information. Design protection, on the other hand, applies to the design of manufactured products. When a product is created, the design of the product itself is automatically protected by design protection laws. This means that no one else can copy the design without permission. The main difference between copyright and design protection is that copyright protects the form of expression of an idea, while design protection protects the physical design of a product. Additionally, copyright protection lasts much longer than design protection, usually lasting between 50 and 100 years after the death of the author, while design protection only lasts 10-15 years.
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