What is the difference between a trademark, patent, and copyright?

A trademark, patent, and copyright are all important legal protections for intellectual property. However, they are different from one another and serve different purposes. A trademark is a sign, design, or expression which uniquely identifies a company, product, and/or service. Trademarks are used for brand identity and to prevent others from unfairly taking advantage of another’s reputation. In Washington, trademark law is governed by the federal Lanham Act. A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by the government to protect inventions or discoveries. These exclusive rights last for a certain period of time and allow inventors to exclude others from making, using, or selling their invention. Patents in Washington are regulated by the federal Patent Act. A copyright is a form of legal protection which grants the creator of an original work the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, and publicly display that work. Copyright protection covers works such as literature, music, and art. The United States Copyright Act governs copyright law in Washington. In summary, trademarks are used to protect business identity, patents are used to protect inventions, and copyrights are used to protect creative works. These three legal protections are distinct from one another and serve different purposes.

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What is the difference between a trademark, patent, and copyright?

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