Generally, intellectual property is intangible and is created by intellectual effort as opposed to physical effort. In the United States, patents, copyrights and trademarks are governed by federal law. Trade secrets are governed by state laws.
A patent is a governmental grant of an exclusive monopoly as an incentive and a reward for a new invention. To be patentable, an idea must be novel, useful and non-obvious. In the U. S. A., the owner of a patent controls the right to make, sell and use a product for a period of seventeen years and a design for fourteen years. If one manufactures, sells, or uses a patented invention without authorization of the patent owner, he has probably committed patent infringement. The infringement exists even if the infringer did not know about the patent. Infringers can be liable for damages and may be enjoined from future infringement.
However， the party challenged with patent infringement can escape liability in a variety of ways. One way is by proving that the challenged product or process is outside the scope of the patent. Another way is by proving that the patent is invalid because it fails to meet the criteria for patentability. A third way is to establish that the patent holder has misused the patent.Misuse of a patent occurs when a patent holder uses the patent to achieve something illegally. The most common type of misuse occurs when the patent holder uses the patent to violate the antitrust laws.
A copyright protects the physical expression of intellectual or artistic effort， not the idea. A copyright is effective for the life of the creator plus fifty years.Anyone who creates an original work is protected by an automatic common law copyright. Published materials without statutory copyright TM protection are said to be in the public domain and may be used by anyone， without the consent of the creator. To obtain statutory copyright protection， materials must be published with the copyright notice， which takes the form of the word "copyright" or the abbreviation "copr. "， or the symbol "c" followed by the name of the copyright owner.
Copyrights may be registered with the Register of Copyright and copies of the copyrighted material are provided by the Library of Congress. If one violates the copyright created by the copyright notice, he may only be enjoined from future violations. If he violates a copyright created by registration, he may be liable for damages, fines or imprisonment. Owners of copyrights may assign their ownership to others.
A trademark is a mark on goods that distinguishes the marked goods from competing goods. The mark may be a word, picture or design. In order to qualify as a trademark, the mark must not be overly descriptive or generic. Trademarks are protected through registration.
Unauthorized use of the registered trademarks of others is illegal. Public perception plays a significant role in trademark law. If the public comes to perceive that a trademark is generic, it will lose its legal status as a trademark. Public perception can also create a legal right for an attribute of a product. If a product's shape or style or features are arbitrary and nonfunctional, and the general public comes to view these features as associated with a particular product, they are said to have acquired a secondary meaning is, which may be registered and protected.
A trade secret may consist of any formula， device or compilation of information which is used in one's business， and which gives him an opportunity to obtain an advantage over competitors who do not know or use it.Trade secrets must be kept secret. To qualify for protection， the secret must give the firm a competitive advantage. Unlike patents and copyrights， there is no time limit on the life of a trade secret. It is effective as long as the secrecy is maintained. The law protects trade secrets from wrongful appropriation. This does not mean that a competitor cannot use the same manufacturing process. It only means that the competitor must arrive at the idea independently.
譯文
一般來(lái)說(shuō)，知識(shí)產(chǎn)權(quán)是無(wú)形的，并且是由相對(duì)于體力勞動(dòng)的智力勞動(dòng)創(chuàng)造的。在美國(guó)，專利權(quán)、版權(quán)和商標(biāo)權(quán)是由聯(lián)邦法管轄的，而商業(yè)秘密是由州法律管轄的。
專利權(quán)是政府對(duì)一項(xiàng)新發(fā)明授予的獨(dú)占的權(quán)利，以給予該發(fā)明以鼓勵(lì)和獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)。一項(xiàng)具有專利性的想法必須具備新穎性、實(shí)用性和非顯著性。在美國(guó)，專利權(quán)人對(duì)產(chǎn)品的制作、銷售及使用有17年的控制權(quán)，而設(shè)計(jì)是14年。如果某人未經(jīng)專利權(quán)人授權(quán)而制造、銷售及使用該專利發(fā)明，那么這就可能是專利侵權(quán)行為。即使侵權(quán)人不了解該專利，侵權(quán)行為依然存在。侵權(quán)人要承擔(dān)賠償責(zé)任，并且禁止其日后侵權(quán)。
然而，被質(zhì)疑專利侵權(quán)的一方可以用許多方式逃避責(zé)任。一種方式是證明被質(zhì)疑的產(chǎn)品或過(guò)程是在專利的領(lǐng)域之外。另一種方式是證明由于專利未能滿足專利性的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)而無(wú)效。第三種方式是證實(shí)專利權(quán)人濫用專利。當(dāng)一個(gè)專利權(quán)人利用專利從事某些非法活動(dòng)時(shí)，專利濫用就發(fā)生了。最常見(jiàn)的濫用專利權(quán)行為常發(fā)生在專利權(quán)人利用其專利違反反壟斷法的時(shí)候。
版權(quán)保護(hù)的是對(duì)智力或藝術(shù)成果而不是主意的有形描述。版權(quán)的保護(hù)期是創(chuàng)作者的終身年限再加50年。任何人創(chuàng)作了原作品之后都自動(dòng)受到普通法版權(quán)的保護(hù)。未獲成文法版權(quán)保護(hù)的出版物被認(rèn)為在公共領(lǐng)域，任何人都可以不經(jīng)作者同意而使用。要想獲得成文法版權(quán)的保護(hù)，作品出版時(shí)必須有版權(quán)標(biāo)志，其形式有單詞“copyright”、縮寫(xiě)“copr”及附有版權(quán)人姓名的符號(hào)“c”。版權(quán)可以向版權(quán)注冊(cè)機(jī)構(gòu)登記，那么國(guó)會(huì)圖書(shū)館將提供經(jīng)版權(quán)注冊(cè)作品的復(fù)印件。如果某人侵犯了標(biāo)有版權(quán)標(biāo)志的版權(quán)，他可能僅僅被禁止其日后侵權(quán)；但如果侵犯了注冊(cè)版權(quán)，侵權(quán)人便要承擔(dān)支付損害賠償、罰款或被監(jiān)禁的法律責(zé)任。版權(quán)人可以向他人轉(zhuǎn)讓其版權(quán)。
商標(biāo)是用來(lái)區(qū)別被標(biāo)記的商品和相競(jìng)爭(zhēng)的商品的商品標(biāo)記。商標(biāo)可以是一個(gè)詞、一幅畫(huà)或者一項(xiàng)設(shè)計(jì)。為了符合商標(biāo)的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，標(biāo)記不能是過(guò)度描述的或太普通的。商標(biāo)通過(guò)注冊(cè)受到保護(hù)。未經(jīng)授權(quán)使用他人注冊(cè)商標(biāo)是違法的。公眾的認(rèn)知在商標(biāo)法中扮演著一個(gè)重要的角色。如果公眾開(kāi)始認(rèn)為某個(gè)商標(biāo)是普通的，它將會(huì)失去商標(biāo)的法律地位。公眾的認(rèn)知也能為產(chǎn)品的某個(gè)性質(zhì)創(chuàng)造法律權(quán)利。
如果一產(chǎn)品的形狀、式樣或特征是任意的且不具備功能性的，如果公眾將其視為與特定的產(chǎn)品相聯(lián)系的話，它就被稱為取得了引申義，那么該形狀、式樣或特征也可以注冊(cè)并受到保護(hù)。
一個(gè)商業(yè)秘密可能由在某個(gè)公司使用的公式、設(shè)計(jì)及信息編輯等組成，并且該商業(yè)秘密賦予它機(jī)會(huì)去得到優(yōu)勢(shì)，超過(guò)不知道或未使用該秘密的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)者。商業(yè)秘密必須保有秘密。要符合保護(hù)的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，該秘密必須給予公司競(jìng)爭(zhēng)性的優(yōu)勢(shì)。不像專利和版權(quán)，商業(yè)秘密沒(méi)有時(shí)間限制。只要控制著秘密，它就有效。法律保護(hù)商業(yè)秘密不被非法竊取，但這并不意味著競(jìng)爭(zhēng)者不能使用同樣的制造過(guò)程。它僅僅意味著競(jìng)爭(zhēng)者必須獨(dú)立想出這個(gè)主意。
A patent is a governmental grant of an exclusive monopoly as an incentive and a reward for a new invention. To be patentable, an idea must be novel, useful and non-obvious. In the U. S. A., the owner of a patent controls the right to make, sell and use a product for a period of seventeen years and a design for fourteen years. If one manufactures, sells, or uses a patented invention without authorization of the patent owner, he has probably committed patent infringement. The infringement exists even if the infringer did not know about the patent. Infringers can be liable for damages and may be enjoined from future infringement.
However， the party challenged with patent infringement can escape liability in a variety of ways. One way is by proving that the challenged product or process is outside the scope of the patent. Another way is by proving that the patent is invalid because it fails to meet the criteria for patentability. A third way is to establish that the patent holder has misused the patent.Misuse of a patent occurs when a patent holder uses the patent to achieve something illegally. The most common type of misuse occurs when the patent holder uses the patent to violate the antitrust laws.
A copyright protects the physical expression of intellectual or artistic effort， not the idea. A copyright is effective for the life of the creator plus fifty years.Anyone who creates an original work is protected by an automatic common law copyright. Published materials without statutory copyright TM protection are said to be in the public domain and may be used by anyone， without the consent of the creator. To obtain statutory copyright protection， materials must be published with the copyright notice， which takes the form of the word "copyright" or the abbreviation "copr. "， or the symbol "c" followed by the name of the copyright owner.
Copyrights may be registered with the Register of Copyright and copies of the copyrighted material are provided by the Library of Congress. If one violates the copyright created by the copyright notice, he may only be enjoined from future violations. If he violates a copyright created by registration, he may be liable for damages, fines or imprisonment. Owners of copyrights may assign their ownership to others.
A trademark is a mark on goods that distinguishes the marked goods from competing goods. The mark may be a word, picture or design. In order to qualify as a trademark, the mark must not be overly descriptive or generic. Trademarks are protected through registration.
Unauthorized use of the registered trademarks of others is illegal. Public perception plays a significant role in trademark law. If the public comes to perceive that a trademark is generic, it will lose its legal status as a trademark. Public perception can also create a legal right for an attribute of a product. If a product's shape or style or features are arbitrary and nonfunctional, and the general public comes to view these features as associated with a particular product, they are said to have acquired a secondary meaning is, which may be registered and protected.
A trade secret may consist of any formula， device or compilation of information which is used in one's business， and which gives him an opportunity to obtain an advantage over competitors who do not know or use it.Trade secrets must be kept secret. To qualify for protection， the secret must give the firm a competitive advantage. Unlike patents and copyrights， there is no time limit on the life of a trade secret. It is effective as long as the secrecy is maintained. The law protects trade secrets from wrongful appropriation. This does not mean that a competitor cannot use the same manufacturing process. It only means that the competitor must arrive at the idea independently.
譯文
一般來(lái)說(shuō)，知識(shí)產(chǎn)權(quán)是無(wú)形的，并且是由相對(duì)于體力勞動(dòng)的智力勞動(dòng)創(chuàng)造的。在美國(guó)，專利權(quán)、版權(quán)和商標(biāo)權(quán)是由聯(lián)邦法管轄的，而商業(yè)秘密是由州法律管轄的。
專利權(quán)是政府對(duì)一項(xiàng)新發(fā)明授予的獨(dú)占的權(quán)利，以給予該發(fā)明以鼓勵(lì)和獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)。一項(xiàng)具有專利性的想法必須具備新穎性、實(shí)用性和非顯著性。在美國(guó)，專利權(quán)人對(duì)產(chǎn)品的制作、銷售及使用有17年的控制權(quán)，而設(shè)計(jì)是14年。如果某人未經(jīng)專利權(quán)人授權(quán)而制造、銷售及使用該專利發(fā)明，那么這就可能是專利侵權(quán)行為。即使侵權(quán)人不了解該專利，侵權(quán)行為依然存在。侵權(quán)人要承擔(dān)賠償責(zé)任，并且禁止其日后侵權(quán)。
然而，被質(zhì)疑專利侵權(quán)的一方可以用許多方式逃避責(zé)任。一種方式是證明被質(zhì)疑的產(chǎn)品或過(guò)程是在專利的領(lǐng)域之外。另一種方式是證明由于專利未能滿足專利性的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)而無(wú)效。第三種方式是證實(shí)專利權(quán)人濫用專利。當(dāng)一個(gè)專利權(quán)人利用專利從事某些非法活動(dòng)時(shí)，專利濫用就發(fā)生了。最常見(jiàn)的濫用專利權(quán)行為常發(fā)生在專利權(quán)人利用其專利違反反壟斷法的時(shí)候。
版權(quán)保護(hù)的是對(duì)智力或藝術(shù)成果而不是主意的有形描述。版權(quán)的保護(hù)期是創(chuàng)作者的終身年限再加50年。任何人創(chuàng)作了原作品之后都自動(dòng)受到普通法版權(quán)的保護(hù)。未獲成文法版權(quán)保護(hù)的出版物被認(rèn)為在公共領(lǐng)域，任何人都可以不經(jīng)作者同意而使用。要想獲得成文法版權(quán)的保護(hù)，作品出版時(shí)必須有版權(quán)標(biāo)志，其形式有單詞“copyright”、縮寫(xiě)“copr”及附有版權(quán)人姓名的符號(hào)“c”。版權(quán)可以向版權(quán)注冊(cè)機(jī)構(gòu)登記，那么國(guó)會(huì)圖書(shū)館將提供經(jīng)版權(quán)注冊(cè)作品的復(fù)印件。如果某人侵犯了標(biāo)有版權(quán)標(biāo)志的版權(quán)，他可能僅僅被禁止其日后侵權(quán)；但如果侵犯了注冊(cè)版權(quán)，侵權(quán)人便要承擔(dān)支付損害賠償、罰款或被監(jiān)禁的法律責(zé)任。版權(quán)人可以向他人轉(zhuǎn)讓其版權(quán)。
商標(biāo)是用來(lái)區(qū)別被標(biāo)記的商品和相競(jìng)爭(zhēng)的商品的商品標(biāo)記。商標(biāo)可以是一個(gè)詞、一幅畫(huà)或者一項(xiàng)設(shè)計(jì)。為了符合商標(biāo)的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，標(biāo)記不能是過(guò)度描述的或太普通的。商標(biāo)通過(guò)注冊(cè)受到保護(hù)。未經(jīng)授權(quán)使用他人注冊(cè)商標(biāo)是違法的。公眾的認(rèn)知在商標(biāo)法中扮演著一個(gè)重要的角色。如果公眾開(kāi)始認(rèn)為某個(gè)商標(biāo)是普通的，它將會(huì)失去商標(biāo)的法律地位。公眾的認(rèn)知也能為產(chǎn)品的某個(gè)性質(zhì)創(chuàng)造法律權(quán)利。
如果一產(chǎn)品的形狀、式樣或特征是任意的且不具備功能性的，如果公眾將其視為與特定的產(chǎn)品相聯(lián)系的話，它就被稱為取得了引申義，那么該形狀、式樣或特征也可以注冊(cè)并受到保護(hù)。
一個(gè)商業(yè)秘密可能由在某個(gè)公司使用的公式、設(shè)計(jì)及信息編輯等組成，并且該商業(yè)秘密賦予它機(jī)會(huì)去得到優(yōu)勢(shì)，超過(guò)不知道或未使用該秘密的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)者。商業(yè)秘密必須保有秘密。要符合保護(hù)的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，該秘密必須給予公司競(jìng)爭(zhēng)性的優(yōu)勢(shì)。不像專利和版權(quán)，商業(yè)秘密沒(méi)有時(shí)間限制。只要控制著秘密，它就有效。法律保護(hù)商業(yè)秘密不被非法竊取，但這并不意味著競(jìng)爭(zhēng)者不能使用同樣的制造過(guò)程。它僅僅意味著競(jìng)爭(zhēng)者必須獨(dú)立想出這個(gè)主意。