The term intellectual property encompasses the virtual creations of the human mind that can be shared, or that enable others to recreate, emulate, or manufacture those creations, such as: inventions, literary and artistic works, music, logos, symbols, trade names, and images/designs used in commerce.
Intellectual property is divided into two categories:
- industrial property, comprised of inventions (patents), trademarks, industrial designs, and geographic indications of source; and
- copyrights, e.g., artistic and literary works such as poems, novels, plays, films, musical works, paintings, drawings, photographs, architectural designs, or sculptures.