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This refers to to creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce.
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I had heard about this subject before, although I had no idea what it involved. Our lecturer emphasised the importance of to comprehend and protect these creations, regarding rights and ownership to the individuals that produce them.
Copyright is a legal term used to describe the rights that creators have over their literary and artistic works. Works covered by copyright range from books, music, paintings, sculpture and films, to computer programs, databases, advertisements, maps and technical drawings.
A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention. It provides the patent owner with the right to decide how or if the invention can be used by others.
In exchange for this right, the patent owner makes technical information about the invention publicly available in the published patent document.
A trademark is a sign capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one enterprise from those of other enterprises. Trademarks date back to ancient times when artisans used to put their signature or "mark" on their products.
Trade secrets are intellectual property rights related to confidential information that can be sold or licensed. Unauthorised acquisition, use, or disclosure of this confidential information in ways that breach fair commercial practices is considered an unfair act and a violation of trade secret protections.
Fair use permits a party to use a copyrighted work without the copyright owner’s permission for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research.
This has given me a better understanding of what each law entails and the difference between each of them. It’s good to learn this information in case I ever needed to know it in the future.