The term "intellectual property" is broad, and is widely used
to refer to intangible assets. Intellectual property differs from other forms
of property because it is intangible—that is, it is a product of the human
imagination.
There are various classes of intellectual property: Patents, Copyright
and Trade marks are perhaps the most prominent. Patent law protects inventions
that demonstrate technological progress. Copyright law protects a variety of
literary and artistic works, including paintings, sculpture, prose, poetry,
plays, musical compositions, dances, photographs, motion pictures, radio and
television programs, sound recordings, and computer software programs.
Trademark law protects words, slogans, and symbols that serve to identify
different brands of goods and services in the marketplace.
