There are primarily four types of intellectual property in the U.S.: (1) patents, (2) trademarks, (3) copyrights and (4) trade secrets. A copyright exists automatically once the creator of a "work" fixes the work in a tangible medium. A work is "fixed in a tangible medium" when it is written, photographed, recorded or otherwise documented. Copyrights can include everything from books and works of literature, as well as non-literary written documents, including compilations of data, references, price lists and computer software. Although a copyright will generally exist under the common law automatically, the rights of the creator are best protected when the creator files for copyright protection under the Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. 201) through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Para su conveniencia, debajo del texto en español le brindamos la versión completa de este formulario en inglés. For your convenience, the complete English version of this form is attached below the Spanish version.