Trademarks, copyrights, and patents protect different types of intellectual property. Patent is a limited duration property right relating to an invention. The invention may be any new, useful, and non-obvious process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter.

Copyright protects works of authorship, such as writings, music, and works of art that have been tangibly expressed.

trademark or service mark typically protects brand names and logos used on goods and services.

For example, a musical group band might have a trademark on the band name, a copyright for the unique music composition, and a patent on an invented musical instrument.