To learn more about copyrights, see Copyright Basics and the Copyright Office Link Patents can protect the processes, ideas and methods . In the software field, patents were once thought not to protect mathematical algorithms as those used in encryption systems. Where copyright and patent may collide is when an item has mostly functional aspects with some small or incidental items of decoration. Generally useful items that look nice will not make of a lamp a copyrightable sculpture. So too, a Website that contains no interactive elements, no data processing may contain copyrights but generally few if any patents.
Patents are difficult and relatively expensive to obtain compared with copyrights.
This is especially true for software patents that may take up to two years to obtain. Patents have certain maintenance costs on a recurring basis. Be sure you understand all the costs. Back to the Self-Help Law Library page.