This article is about the legal concept. For the 2006 film, see Intellectual Property (film).

Intellectual property law

Primary rights

Copyright   Patent   Trademark   Trade secret Authors' rights   Related rights   Moral rights Utility model   Geographical indication

Sui generis rights

Database right Indigenous intellectual property Industrial design right   Mask work Plant breeders' rights   Supplementary protection certificate

Related topics

Societal views   Orphan works Public domain   Traditional safety valves Outline of intellectual property

Intellectual property (IP) is a legal concept which refers to creations of the mind for which exclusive rights are recognized.^[1] Under intellectual property law, owners are granted certain exclusive rights to a variety of intangible assets, such as musical, literary, and artistic works; discoveries and inventions; and words, phrases, symbols, and designs. Common types of intellectual property rights include copyright, trademarks, patents,industrial design rights, trade dress, and in some jurisdictions trade secrets.

Although many of the legal principles governing intellectual property rights have evolved over centuries, it was not until the 19th century that the term intellectual property began to be used, and not until the late 20th century that it became commonplace in the majority of the world.^[2] The British Statute of Anne (1710) and the Statute of Monopolies (1623) are now seen as the origins of copyright and patent law respectively.^[3]