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Archive for July, 2011

In terms of copyright laws, trade secrets are probably the most nebulous group in which they are applied. There is a broad range of trade secret categories that this pertains to, from cosmetic ingredients to project designs. With this in mind, there is an even more confusing understanding as to how they are protected from theft and infringement. There are a few things that have to be considered in the protection of trade secrets. One of the major ways that they are protected are contractual non-compete clauses of employees and company entities Read the rest of this entry »

“Intellectual property” refers to protecting a creator’s intangible works. IP law breaks down into four areas: patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets.

Patent law covers scientific processes, such as the creation of a drug or software. Obtaining a patent will prevent anyone other than the patent holder from creating that drug (i.e. manufacturing a generic) for a set period of time. Patents are transferable.

Trademark law covers slogans, names, symbols, and other marks which are used to identify a particular Read the rest of this entry »

For aspiring inventors knowledge of patent law is invaluable. Patents are used to protect intellectual property; they can prevent others from using an inventor’s ideas without the inventor’s consent. Patent law exists to create an environment that fosters invention, and protects the rights of those who invent.
First, it a myth that mailing oneself invention plans and having it postmarked will automatically patent an idea; it won’t. For an idea to be legally patented an application must Read the rest of this entry »

Creative minds sometimes come up with material that everyone in the world loves and enjoys. When people love and enjoy something it means that they are willing to pay for it. When people are willing to pay for creative material that means the material is worth money. If another person comes across the intellectual creations of another person and such material is not protected then there is nothing to stop him or her from claiming this material as their own. For this reason it is important for a creative mind to protect things such as songs, Read the rest of this entry »