Which of the following is not one of the four key forms of intellectual property protection?

Which of the following is not one of the four key forms of intellectual property protection?

A) Innovations

B) Copyrights

C) Trademarks

D) Trade secrets

E) Patents

Answer: A) Innovations

The answer, therefore, is A) Innovations, since it does not belong to the four primary types of intellectual property rights. The four forms of IP rights are patents, copyrights, trademarks as well as trade secrets. Patents pertain to new creations and innovations, particularly in technology. Copyrights protect literary and artistic works; trademarks are symbols that distinguish the origin of products or services. Trade secrets consist of business information that is not public and gives the edge to the business firm. Although they are relevant to the sphere of inventions and trademarks, innovations are not a particular legal status used to protect such rights. Rather, inventions can be safeguarded by one or more of the four primary forms of intellectual property rights depending on the kind of innovation developed. It is important in the current world economy for the business personnel and the individuals who intend to protect their ideas and innovations to be conscious of this differentiation.