Types of Intellectual Property Rights

Wealth was traditionally measured by the accumulated volume of tangible assets. The law appeared as a kind of a guard shielding the property and interests of people. Meanwhile, in the process of evolution, not only material goods but also results of brain work, such as inventions or scientific theories, became increasingly important. The creations of the human mind needed legal protection like any other property, and that is why different types of IPR appeared.

How to Identify the Type of Intellectual Property Violated

The current legal system works to protect various objects of intellectual property. Patents, copyrights, trademarks, and other types of intellectual property protection serve this purpose. This system balances the interests of inventors and the public, thus creating conditions for innovations and creativity.

In particular, it allows people to get recognition or financial reward for their inventions and work. Objects of intellectual property rights serve as a source of profit to their owners and can be monetized according to the law system of a specific country. So, if you wonder “Can I sell my patents if needed?”, the short answer is yes. State registration gives you legal protection, and the laws explain different types of intellectual property rights, as there are differences in restrictions of use and time limitations, which vary widely between countries and international communities.

A violation may occur in any case, but when an IP object is properly formalized, the author can claim monetary compensation. Here lies the importance of intellectual property rights. Generally, infringement of intellectual property rights is punishable, but holders of these rights need to initiate litigation by themselves.

Various Types of Intellectual Property Rights

• Copyrights regulate relations linked to science, literature, or art. This type is based on the concept that a result of some intellectual activity has a certain form. Copyrights do not work with ideas, methods, processes, systems, concepts, principles, discoveries, or facts that do not have any physical form.
• Related rights were recognized at the end of the 20th century to cover activities that were previously considered as not creative enough and, therefore, were not included in the copyright concept. The exact content differs according to the country and its laws. As examples, we can mention phonograms, broadcasts, etc.
• Trademarks work as part of a system of rules created to protect some special designations used for goods and services to specify their origin or manufacturer.
• Patents establish the protection of inventions in different areas.
• Industrial models protect novel and original solutions in the manufacturing and crafts sectors. This type also covers product design. Nowadays, industrial models serve as an intermediate form between copyrights and patents. Their value varies greatly depending on the law system adopted in a country.

Conclusion

In addition, we should mention trade secret laws as a system of rules for the protection of formulas, processes, designs, tools, or collections of data. This type is generally considered as giving the weakest protection since it does not ensure an exclusive right for utilization to an author. Trade secrets can be also shielded by some competition laws.

Therefore, if you are the owner of some intellectual property objects, keep track of their usage carefully to stay fully protected.