BAIPA

Bay Area Independent Publishers Association

Member Login
  • Home
  • Members
    • Member List
    • BAIPA Bookshop.org
    • Books Published by BAIPA Members
    • Member Login/Logout
    • View & Edit Profile
    • Membership Account
    • Membership Cards
    • Get the Most Out of Your BAIPA Membership
    • Volunteer with BAIPA
    • BAIPA Book Awards
      • 2018 BAIPA Book Awards Contest
      • 2016 BAIPA Book Award Winners
      • 2015 BAIPA Book Award Winners
  • Join
    • Member Benefits
    • More About BAIPA
    • BAIPA Board
    • Submit Testimonial
  • Events
    • Meeting Format
    • Morning Only Meeting Format
    • Meeting Location & Directions
    • Want to Present at a BAIPA Monthly Meeting?
  • Blog
    • Blog Guidelines
    • Author Interviews
  • Member Portal
    • Member Only Resources
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Legal Issues / The Difference Between Copyrights, Trademarks and Patents

The Difference Between Copyrights, Trademarks and Patents

December 7, 2021 by Kelley Way

When it comes to intellectual property law, the most frequently asked question is what’s the difference between copyrights, trademarks, and patents? So let me explain what each of these concepts means and what each protects.

To start with the basics, “intellectual property” refers to assets that have value and can be bought or sold but aren’t physical items that can be touched. For example, copyrights, trademarks, and patents are all different types of intellectual property.

A copyright is a bundle of rights that are given to creative works, such as books, movies, music, and artwork. The more creative and original a work is, the more protection it gets under copyright law. A copyright gives the owner the exclusive right to copy the work (hence the name), sell it in the marketplace, and make new works that are based on the original, among other things. It’s important to remember that copyright does not protect ideas or facts, only the creative expression of those ideas or facts.

A trademark serves to identify the source of a product or service in the marketplace. Company names, logos, and slogans are typical examples of trademarks, but anything that consumers will recognize and connect to the company can be used as a trademark. Trademark law prevents others from using your mark in a way that confuses or deceives consumers as to the origin of a product or service. I should note that a mark does not have to be identical to yours to be infringing, just similar enough to confuse consumers.

A patent protects formulas, inventions, processes, and the like and prevents others from using, making, or selling your protected material for the patent duration. Unlike copyright and trademark, you must register your invention with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to have a patent. In addition, the application must be submitted within a specific time window.

Hopefully, that sheds some light on what’s the difference between copyright, trademark, and patent. If you’d like to learn more about that or intellectual property generally, please feel free to read watch my videos on these subjects on YouTube.

If you still have questions after that, you are welcome to email me at [email protected].

Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Email this to someone
email
Print this page
Print

Filed Under: Legal Issues

← Last Call for Book Cover Contest
Woody Weingarten and Granddaughter Finally Launch Kids’ Fantasy Book; New Website’s Up, Too →

About Kelley Way

Attorney practicing copyright, trademark and estate planning law.

Becky Parker Geist of Pro Audio Voices

Welcome to BAIPA

With COVID-19 teaching us all how to function remotely, BAIPA will meet via ZOOM ONLY until it is safe to resume in-person meetings. (Even when we decide to resume in-person events, we will continue the Zoom option.) We are implementing all the recommended precautionary measures to keep our meetings private and safe for all participants. All members and visitors who register in advance will receive a link to attend via Zoom video conferencing. On the Friday evening before the meeting, we will send the link and password out to members and to non-members … More

Current BAIPA members do not need to register for our monthly meetings. The night before the meetings, they will receive the Zoom info. However, members must log in to get a discounted ticket for workshops. 

Upcoming Events

  • CrowdFunding Success for Authors and Writers
    Crowdfunding | Karolina Grabowska Pexels
    • Dr. Judith Briles on how to use CrowdFunding to raise money to create your book
      July 9, 2022
      9:00 am - 12:15 pm
  • Email Marketing Success
    Email Marketing Success | Pexels
    • Pauline Wiles on Email Marketing Success for Authors
      August 6, 2022
      9:00 am - 12:15 pm
  • The Three Step Formula for Building an Author Platform
    • Fauzia Burke shares the Three Step Formula for Building an Author Platform
      November 5, 2022
      9:00 am - 12:15 pm

BAIPA Monthly Meetings

IMPORTANT
BAIPA is now meeting on the first Saturday of every month via Zoom only for now. In general, if the first Saturday falls on a holiday or holiday weekend, we will meet on the second Saturday.

We are also having workshops on the third Saturday of every month (also via Zoom only for now. In general, if the regular monthly meeting moves to the second Saturday, then the workshop will be two weeks later.

Future Events

  • July 9th: CrowdFunding Success for Authors and Writers with Dr. Judith Briles
  • July 23rd: Workshop: How to Creat a Million Dollar Speech with Dr.Judith Briles
  • August 6th: Email Marketing Success with Pauline Wiles
  • August 20th: Workshop: IngramSpark Best Practices & Tips with Ruth Schwartz
  • October events TBD
  • November 5th: Building an Author Platform with Fauzia Burke
  • December 3rd: Annual Cover Design Event

More exciting speakers and topics coming in the rest of 2022!

Keep up to date with BAIPA

Member Search

Search Members

  

Looking for Something?

Copyright © 2022. Bay Area Independent Publishers Association. All Rights Reserved. Website created by MakeChico.com and managed by WPinOneClick.com.

Copyright © 2022 · BAIPA Genesis Child Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in