[MUSIC]
Intellectual property or IP
refers to something a person has
either thought of or created.
Some examples of IP include designs,
processes, songs, logos, discoveries,
symbols, and even brand-new
varieties of plants.
IP belongs to the person who thought
it up or put the work into creating it.
They get to decide who makes it,
how and where it's used,
and who can sell and profit from it.
But how can thinkers and creators keep
their IP safe from misuse by others?
After all, in a digital world,
it's easy to copy an idea or a design.
Luckily, there are laws in place
to protect IP once a person
is ready to go public with it.
There are four major
paths to legal protection.
Applying for a patent.
Patents cover things like inventions,
new processes, new machines,
and new ways of manufacturing things.
Applying for a copyright.
Copyrights protect works like art, music,
writings, movies, and even software.
Using a trademark to cover unique branding
and identifiers, like business names,
logos, slogans, mascots, and more.
Keeping something secret.
Trade secrets make sure that things like
manufacturing processes, formulas,
and compilations of information
never make it into the wrong hands.
Getting these protections in place may
seem difficult or time-consuming at first,
but protecting yourself is well worth
the time and effort, and it's
not as hard as you may think.
This is where Technology Transfer,
or T2 comes in.
T2 helps negotiate the use, sharing,
and assigning of IP,
so that companies and individuals can use
government technology,
or a joint project between the government
and private sector can take place.
T2 can make it easy to license a patent or
share confidential information so both
parties can help each other solve
problems or create new products. [MUSIC]