Patents
What a Patent Actually Protects (and What It Doesn’t)
A US patent only lets you stop others from making, using, or selling your invention, it does not give you permission to sell it, and claims…
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property is the legal protection for creations of the mind, such as inventions, writings, music, brand names, and business secrets. It lets creators and businesses control how their work is used and earn from it. Congress writes the laws, the Patent and Trademark Office and the Copyright Office handle registration, and courts decide disputes.
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Referenced by Brookings, CNN, Forbes, Fox News, Pew Research, Snopes, The Hill and USA Today.
The Webby-recognized AI behind our articles »
Latest in Intellectual Property
Copyrights
How Copyright Law Protects an Artist’s Work After Death
Catherine O'Hara died on January 30, 2026, at age 71. Her estate is now worth approximately $10 million. Under current federal copyright law, her creative output…
Intellectual Property
The Patent Duration Debate: Should 20 Years Be the Standard?
The patent system in the United States represents a fundamental economic contract between the government and the inventor. Rooted in the Constitution's Article I, Section 8,…
Intellectual Property
Can AI Be an Inventor? What the Patent Office Now Says
For nearly two centuries, the United States patent system operated on the unspoken assumption that the "inventor" was a human being. But the arrival of generative…
Topics in Intellectual Property
Inventions and secrets
Patents protect inventions for a limited time, while Trade Secrets protect confidential business information that is kept private.
Creative work and brands
Copyrights protect original creative work such as books, music, and films. Trademarks protect the names and symbols that identify goods and services.
All Articles on Intellectual Property
Right to Repair: The Debate Over Fixing Your Own Devices
A smartphone slips from your hand, and the screen shatters. Your refrigerator stops cooling. In the middle of harvest season, a high-tech tractor grinds…
When the Government Can Take Your Federally Funded Invention: A Guide to Bayh-Dole Act Rights
Every year, the U.S. government pours tens of billions of taxpayer dollars into research at universities, nonprofit institutes, and small businesses across the country.…
How the Commerce Department Fights the $4.5 Trillion Counterfeit Goods Market
The global trade in counterfeit goods has become a criminal enterprise worth between $1.7 trillion and $4.5 trillion annually. This illicit market exceeds drug…
How the Government Protects Your Intellectual Property Overseas
Intellectual property is the lifeblood of the American economy. More than just an abstract legal concept, it represents the tangible output of American ingenuity—life-saving…
A Guide to the ® and ™ Symbols
Walk through any grocery store or scroll through your favorite website, and you'll see them everywhere: those small ™ and ® symbols attached to…
Understanding the Different Types of Trademarks
A patent protects an invention. A copyright protects an original artistic or literary work. A trademark protects brand names and logos. It trademark is…
The Role of America’s Patent Examiners
Every year, more than half a million inventors and entrepreneurs from around the world submit their big ideas to a federal office building in…
A Guide to Understanding Patent Claims
While patent documents are complex legal instruments, their entire purpose centers on one critical section: the claims. Think of a patent like a deed…
A Guide to the Provisional Patent Application
One of the most useful tools for safeguarding an invention is the Provisional Patent Application, or PPA. A PPA isn't a type of patent…
How Long Does It Take to Get a Patent?
For any inventor, entrepreneur, or business, the question of how long it takes to secure a patent is fundamental. It informs business strategy, funding…