CAREL SMIT

Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind: inventions, literary, musical, and artistic works, and logos, brands, and images used in business.

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Intellectual property is divided into two categories:

1.) The rather old-fashioned term "Industrial Property", which includes patents for inventions, trademarks for logos and brands, as well as industrial designs and geographical indications.

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2.) Copyright, which covers literary works (such as novels, poems and plays), films, music, artistic works (e.g., drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures) and architectural design.

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Each of these types of Intellectual Property can be protected using legal mechanisms in the form of Intellectual Property Rights to gain a monopoly over an invention, design, logo, name, or artistic work.