There seem to be three categories of intellectual property, as far as the law is concerned. Copyright is a law of authorship, trademark concerns commercial ventures, and patent law protects inventions. I have already blogged a lot about copyright, and once about trademarks, so let’s give patents a share. The Constitution requires that the government promote the sciences by a way we have since adopted as patents. In a similar way, copyright also encourages creation of the arts by offering many benefits to being a creator. Unlike copyrights, however, a patent cannot logically forbid anyone from using a copy of the patented product. Inventions are meant to be used by the public, or by a manufacturer depending on what the invention is. Patents are perhaps less restricting elements than copyright; it protects royalties and such for the inventor, but it does little to limit the exchange of the invention. After all, even more than copyrighted materials or trademarks, patented inventions are meant to be used for the public good.
