It can be tricky to differentiate between patents and other terms such as trademarks and copyrights, especially when they are often used together. Simply put:Patents are used to protect an invention and exclude others from profiting from or using that specific invention. Trademarks are protections on words, marks, designs, or phrases that identify a product or service. Copyrights protect creative works of the mind and can include software, choreography, and visual art.