| Copyright and Best Edition |
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| The copyright law requires that copies or phonorecords deposited in the Copyright Office be of the "best edition" of the work. The best edition of the work is the edition, which was published in the United States at any time before the date of deposit, that the Library of Congress determines is the most suitable for its purposes. More... |
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| Copyright Statutory Formalities |
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| Copyright protection in the United States is automatic upon the fixation of an original work of authorship. The use of the copyright notice and the registration of a work are referred to as formalities, which are the procedural requirements for securing and maintaining full copyright protection, and were formerly requirements for copyright protection. Some of the most sweeping changes under the 1976 Copyright Act involve copyright formalities. More... |
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| Patent Maintenance Fees |
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| Utility patents apply to inventions and processes and are distinguished from design and plant patents. Under current patent law, the term of a new utility patent is 20 years, during which the patent holder has the right to exclude others from using, making, selling, or distributing the invention or process. However, for utility patents based on applications filed on or after December 12, 1980, the 20-year patent term is subject to the payment of maintenance fees. More... |
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| Design Patents |
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| Under United States patent law, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issues three different types of patents. Utility patents apply to functional inventions, processes, or compositions of matter, and correspond to the common understanding of patentable subject matter. Patents may also be issued on new varieties of asexually produced cultivated plants and on designs. More... |
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| Internet Domain Names |
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| Copyright law does not protect domain names. Generally, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has tried to apply traditional trademark law to the examination of domain name service mark applications. A domain name qualifies as a mark when it is used in connection with the sale or advertising of goods or services. This includes all sites conducting e-commerce and also sites that provide web-related services. Unlike a trademark, which is restricted by country and class of goods, domain names can be global and not limited by goods or service. More... |
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