Artists protect against infringement of their works through copyright, design patents, trade secrets and trademarks.
Copyright is a type of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship as soon as an author fixes the work in a tangible form of expression. Among the types of works are paintings, photographs, illustrations, musical compositions, sound recordings, computer programs, books, poems, blog posts, movies, architectural works, plays, and other works.
A design patent covers the visual, ornamental characteristics of an article of manufacture.
A trademark may be a word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination of these that identifies your goods or services. The word “trademark” refers to both trademarks and service marks. A trademark is used for goods, while a service mark is used for services.
The USPTO is hosting a webinar on intellectual property for artists and creative organizations on Thursday, August 5, from 1-3 p.m. ET. IP attorneys from the USPTO will offer primers on various types of IP, including:
• copyrights
• trademarks
• designs
• trade secrets
A segment of the program will discuss a case study involving online copyright and trademark infringement. Participants will have time to ask questions. Please register to attend.