Broadly speaking, intellectual property, "refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce." IP law attempts to balance the interests of innovators and the public to "enable people to earn recognition or financial benefit from what they invent or create" while providing the public with access to new knowledge and ideas (WIPO).
There are four types of intellectual property:
This section of our guide will help you explore the types of intellectual property.