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What intellectual property mechanisms are out there?

Written by Jan Buza

Co-founder of Trama

The main legal mechanisms for protecting intellectual property are trademarks, copyrights, registered designs, and patents. Each protects a different intellectual asset.

Trademarks protect brand identity, so things like brand names, logos, slogans, and other distinctive signs that signal a single commercial source to consumers. Other characteristics can also qualify for trademark protection, i.e., the shape of the Coca-Cola bottle and MGM's lion's roar are both registered trademarks.
Copyrights protect literary, musical, and artistic creations, preventing unauthorized copying and adaptation of the original work.
Registered designs protect the visual appearance of a product or service ( things like packaging, surface patterns, product shapes, and similar elements). Protection applies to appearances that create a "similar impression" to an existing registered design.
Patents protect the technical aspects of new inventions, preventing imitation of the underlying functionality or mechanism described in the patent.

You can learn more about these IP protection tools in this article.

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