CTH - Intellectual Property (Lesson)

Intellectual Property

Introduction

Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind; a work or invention that is the result of creativity.  Intellectual property refers to the inventions, ideas, designs and creations that are protected by law.  Intellectual Property is a driving force behind innovation.  Intellectual property rights are protected by law and allow creators (or owners) to benefit from their own work. Intellectual property can be physical or non-physical. 

Why is intellectual property such a big deal? The purpose of intellectual law is to promote and encourage people to create intellectual goods.  There are four different categories of intellectual property: 

• Trade secrets 
• Trademarks 
• Patents 
• Copyrights 

Trade secrets have inherent economic value to their owner and provide a competitive advantage for the business. Example of trade secrets are formulas, patterns, methods, etc. An example of trade secrets could be the soda company drink formulas. Coca Cola is a great example. 

Trademarks consist of a recognizable sign, design, or expression which identifies the product or service.  Think of trademarks you know such as the Nike checkmark, the Coca-Cola white wave, the big yellow “M” for McDonalds, to name a few. 

Patents grant inventors a right to their process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter.  Patents prevent other people from using the patented item. Once the patent expires, anyone can produce or use the idea.  Cell phones were once under patent as were Global Positioning System (GPS). 

Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States or other  countries for "original works of authorship." Copyrights do not protect ideas but rather the manner in which the ideas are expressed. Copyrights can include written works, art, music, dance, photographs, architectural drawings, or software. 

The rights of ownership allow for the owners of intellectual property to benefit financially for the creation of intellectual works.  For our purpose, we will focus on the intellectual property of copyright and plagiarism.  According to the Copyright Law of the United States Links to an external site., copyright protects the  

“original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression, now known or later developed, from which they can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device. Works of authorship include the following categories: literary works;  works, including any accompanying words; dramatic works, including any accompanying music; pantomimes and choreographic works; pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works; motion pictures and other audiovisual works; sound recordings; and architectural works.” 

The owner of a copyrighted work can do the following 

• reproduce the work 
• adapt the work or derive other work from the original 
• distribute copies of the work 
• display the work publicly  
• perform the work publicly. 

Introduction to Intellectual Property Video

Remember for there to be a copyright, the work must be original and put in a way that the work is tangible. Check out this clip explaining Intellectual Property from Crash Course. 

Examples of Intellectual Property Activity

Take a moment to see how well you understand intellectual property. Review examples in the activity below. Make sure your volume is turned up. 

VIDEOS EITHER CREATED BY GAVS OR SOURCED FROM CRASH COURSE Links to an external site. AND USED ACCORDING TO TERMS OF USE.