Find out how to apply for and maintain a patent in the U.S., and learn about helpful resources. IPWatchdog: Patents vs. Trade Secrets: Do You Need a Patent, or is a Secret Good Enough?

Understanding the Context

| IPWatchdog Unleashed Patents vs. Trade Secrets: Do You Need a Patent, or is a Secret Good Enough? | IPWatchdog Unleashed CommentaryAttorney Analysis from Westlaw Today, a part of Thomson Reuters. - There are four types of intellectual property rights: patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets.

Key Insights

Search and read the full text of patents from around the world with Google Patents, and find prior art in our index of non-patent literature. WIPO TISCs gives innovators in developing countries access to high quality technology information and related services. The world’s number one source for global intellectual property (patents, industrial designs, copyright, trademarks etc.) information, resources, and services. What Is a Patent? A patent grants a property right to an inventor by a sovereign authority.

Final Thoughts

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the agency responsible for granting U.S. patents and registering trademarks. In modern usage, the term patent usually refers to the right granted to anyone who invents something new, useful and non-obvious. Search USPTO Patents Patent Grants and Applications Company or patent text search All official trademark data, including owner information, should be verified by visiting the official USPTO website at www.uspto.gov. This week on IPWatchdog Unleashed we will explore the age-old question about whether it is best to keep an innovation as a trade secret or if it makes sense to seek patent protection.

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