According to the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, a trade secret is, "information, including a formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique, or process, that:
Information is a granted patent is published and, after expiration of the patent term, is in the public domain.
A patent requires an application process, which will not always result in a granted patent.
A key remedy for violation of patent rights is a suit for patent infringement.
Trade secrets can remain secret indefinitely.
Before filing, a patent application would be a trade secret.
A key remedy for violations of trade secret rights is a suit for misappropriation of trade secrets.