Patents, trademarks and copyrights are collectively known as intellectual property and generally refer to the rights associated with intangible knowledge or concepts. Patent searches can be conducted to find out if someone else already has a patent on a product, process or concept that you're going to build or market. This is possibly the most complex legal specialty, and you should look for help from a qualified patent attorney. Like a patent, a trademark right allows the owner to exclude others from using the trademarked identity or from using an identity that is similar enough to cause confusion in others. If you have a logo or some other item that you plan on using as a symbol of your business, you may want to have a trademark search conducted to make certain that your logo or other item isn't already restricted.
Trademarks are kind of like muscles.
You use them or lose them. Not only should you use your trademark consistently to distinguish your brand from others, but you should be vigilant about seeing to it that others respect its exclusivity. They always make sure their trademarks are used as adjectives . . . A copyright term is for the life of the creator plus 50 years. Copyright infringement can be avoided by showing that the work in question was created independently of the copyrighted work.