Intellectual property covers a range of laws that give individuals and businesses exclusive rights over their creative and inventive projects.

• Patents
  A patent is a right granted for any device, substance, method or process, which is new, inventive and useful.

• Trade marks
  A registered trade mark gives you the exclusive legal right to use, license or sell your goods or services in Australia.

• Copyright
  Copyright provides legal protection for people who express ideas and information in certain forms.

• Trade secrets/confidentiality
  Common law protects you from people stealing your trade secrets, breaching confidentiality agreements and passing off trade marks.

• Registered designs
  If you are the owner of a product then you can register its design to protect the visual appearance.

• Circuit layout rights
  Circuit layout rights automatically protect original layout designs for integrated circuits and computer chips.

• Plant Breeder's Rights
  Plant Breeder's Rights (PBR) are exclusive commercial rights to a registered variety of plant.

Source: This information is brought to you by business.gov.au