Protecting Your Intellectual Property Is More Important than Ever

By: Melinda Emerson

When you see or hear the abbreviation “IP,” it stands for Intellectual Property.  IP is a key asset in a small business. Simply put, intellectual property is the ownership of concepts, processes, and ideas, as opposed to physical property which characterizes a tangible asset. IP is fast becoming the major delineator among business owners who are competing for market share and customers.

4 Basic Types of IP

There are four basic types of IP that small businesses often rely on.

> Copyrighted Material

This category encompasses everything from literary and artistic works to video and audio recordings to architectural drawings and computer code. Although copyright is the most common form of IP, it does not cover ideas or concepts unless they are written down, creatively rendered, or recorded in some other fashion. However, you can not copyright a book title unless it’s a book series. Though technically speaking, you don’t have to register a copyright in order for it to be valid, doing so is relatively inexpensive and gives you more solid legal footing should a dispute ever arise.

Read more >> https://succeedasyourownboss.com/protecting-intellectual-property-important-ever/