The fundamental difference is that the patents protect rights over a concrete or conceptual invention, while the copyrights protect documents or images created by the author. On the other hand, trademark does not always have to be original, as it can be any word or symbol that can identify a product.

Secondly, patents are the strongest forms of IPR, especially because they are based on strict liability principles. This means that any infringement of the patent, whether deliberate or not, would lead to prosecution of the violator. Therefore, patents accord higher protection than copyrights and trademarks that allow certain exceptions like fair use etc.

A patent is normally awarded for a period of twenty years, after which it goes into the public domain. On the other hand, copyrights are normally valid longer, for about 60-70 years from creation and trademarks are valid for even longer periods. Further, patents can safeguard your intellectual property interests in a very comprehensive manner. Put simply, a copyright protects the mere expression of ideas, whereas patents can protect the underlying principles and techniques behind the creation as well.

Lastly, the processes for filing an application for these three legal mechanisms are also quite different from each other. For example, while a patent application demands comprehensive description of the invention to be disclosed, copyright just needs a copy of the original creation and trademark needs a database check for already existing marks in use.

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What Distinguishes Patents From Trademarks And Copyrights? is a post from: Reachings