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What is in the public domain?

Anything that is not protected by copyright is in the public domain. This includes: Unprotectable subject matter (facts, information, ideas, methods, processes, inventions, titles, names, slogans, short phrases, common geometric shapes, familiar symbols, unoriginal compilations systems (e.g., ordering things alphabetically), works created by U.S. government employees, natural objects formed or shaped by natural forces without

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Can copyright be claimed in an architectural design?

Sometimes. Although designs usually are regarded as uncopyrightable ideas, Congress enacted legislation in 1990 providing copyright-like protection for architectural designs. An architectural work is defined as “the design of a building embodied in any tangible medium of expression, including a building, architectural plans, or drawings.” Protection extends to architectural works created on or after December

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What is the difference between a copyright and a patent or trade secret?

Copyrights protect expression. Patents protect inventions. Trade secrets protect commercially valuable ideas and information that are kept secret. A copyright may protect the expression of an idea, but it does not protect the idea itself. For that, recourse must be had, if at all, to patent, trade secret or unfair competition laws.

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