Patents are intended to protect inventions of a functional or design nature. Trademarks provide protection for indicators of the source of products and services used in commercial trade, such as words or logos. Copyrights provide protection for literary and artistic expressions.
Trademarks Online: Applications to file a Trademark or Service Mark registration can be submitted online through the California Secretary of State's bizfile California portal, in person at the Sacramento office, or through the mail.
Patents are only issued for inventions, ornamental designs of goods, or plants, not names. To protect your brand name and logo, you will need to utilize the trademark registration service.
You can have both a trademark and a patent, though they won't be for exactly the same thing. A trademark can protect a creation's name, for example, and a patent can protect the actual creation itself.
Key Differences of Patents and Trademarks Purpose: Patents protect inventions, while trademarks protect brand names, logos, and other identifying factors. Granting Authority: The government grants patents to inventors, while businesses use trademarks to identify and distinguish their goods or services.
A good trademark should be distinctive and unique, setting it apart from competitors. Distinctiveness allows consumers to easily identify and associate the mark with your brand. It should avoid common or generic terms and instead incorporate elements that are memorable, creative, and unconventional.