Trademark
A MARK used in TRADE.
Good for 10 years, but can be renewed...
Continuous use
Re-registered
Genericized Trademark
Zipper
Trademark Dilution
Trademark dilution is a trademark law concept giving the owner of a famous trademark standing to forbid others from using that mark in a way that would lessen its uniqueness.
Patents
Strongest form of IP protection
EXCLUSIVE rights to the creator of the invention
Lasts for 20 years from the date of filing
Patent Pending
patent pending denotes that a patent application has been filed. "Patent pending" simply means that you have applied for, but have not yet been granted, a patent.
Requirements ( 4 principal categories of things that may be patented)
1. A process, machine, article of manufacture, or a composition of matter
2. Must be New or Novel
3. Non-obvious
4. Must be useful
//non-functional -> copyright
//functional -> patent