Patents vs. Copyrights

Patent - Protects for the invention of a product, idea, or formula, and forbids others from reproducing, using, and selling it for a period of time. They are broken down into three categories. Respectively, utility and design patents protect the functional and ornamental aspects of new inventions. Plant patents are given to breeders of new plant life.

Copyright - Gives protection for original works of authorship that are published and unpublished. Copyrights give their owners the exclusive rights over any forms of expression that they have created. They are given the right to reproduce the work in any form as well as the ability to benefit from it financially.

Patent or Copyright - A lot of confusion surrounds the discussion of which is right for protecting computer software. Copyrights are correct in this case, because they are considered to be a form of original authorship, which is not protected by a patent.