trademarks

How is a copyright different from a patent or a trademark?

Copyright protects original works of authorship, while a patent protects inventions or discoveries.

Ideas and discoveries are not protected by the copyright law, although the way in which they are expressed may be.

A trademark protects words, phrases, symbols, or designs identifying the source of the goods or services of one party and distinguishing them from those of others.

Is a character protected by copyright?

A character could be protected under copyright if it is an original expression of an author.

Merchandising items such as toys, interactive games, books and clothing including characters can also be protected by intellectual property rights in certain circumstances, mainly copyright and trademarks, along with other areas of law.

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