Intellectual property has been a driving force in technology, art, culture and entrepreneurship. The US Patent and Trademark Offices work to protect Intellectual Property through Copyright, Trademark, Trade secrets and Patent Law.
It is important for entrepreneurs to understand how they can protect their ideas and hard work while they continue to grow their business. Scroll down to find PDF's that will help ou understand each area of Intellectual property. There are also links to our online trainings that are available to you at no charge.
It is important for entrepreneurs to understand how they can protect their ideas and hard work while they continue to grow their business. Scroll down to find PDF's that will help ou understand each area of Intellectual property. There are also links to our online trainings that are available to you at no charge.
Copyright
Copyright law protects the expression of an idea, but not the underlying idea. Copyrights can be applied to movies, books, musical compositions, sound recordings, jewelry and software.
Trade Secrets
The federal Defend Trade Secrets Act defines a trade secret as 'all forms and types of financial, business, scientific, technical, economic, or engineering information including patterns, plans, compilations, program devices, formulas, designs, prototypes, methods, techniques, processes, procedures, programs or codes.
Patent Law
If you are trying to protect an underlying idea, patents and trade secrets are something you need to consider. If your idea is easily reverse engineered, you should learn about the different types of patents.
Unfamiliar with patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets? Learn about intellectual property basics and potential ways to protect your innovations as you transition from idea to product.
These sessions will cover:
- Session 1: identifying and Protecting Intellectual Property
- Session 2: Protecting Inventions through Patents, Copyrights and Trade Secrets
- Session 3: Trademarks, Branding and Related Issues
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Montana Department of Commerce.