There are a few different ways to legally protect an invention, the most common being a patent. To obtain a patent, an inventor must file a patent application with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO). The patent application must include a description of the invention, as well as claims that define the invention. Once the patent application is filed, the IPO will examine the application to determine if the invention is patentable. If the IPO determines that the invention is patentable, a patent will be issued. Another way to legally protect an invention is through trade secret law. Trade secret law protects information that is not publicly known and that gives a company an advantage over its competitors. To qualify as a trade secret, the information must be kept secret and must provide a competitive advantage. Trade secret law does not require that the information be patented or copyrighted, but it does require that the information be kept secret. Yet another way to protect an invention is through copyright law. Copyright law protects original works of authorship, such as books, movies, and songs. To qualify for copyright protection, the work must be original and must be fixed in a tangible form. Copyright law does not protect ideas, concepts, or facts.
