Introduction to Intellectual Property
Coursera
Intellectual property is the currency of the tech world, with the world’s most valuable intellectual property assets dwarfing the value of their real-world counterparts. Apple’ trademarked brand was valued at over $100 billion as of 2017. J.K. Rowling’s Harry potter franchise has generated over $25 billion to date. But how did the law come to create such enormous value in intangible assets? This course will introduce the various types of U.S. intellectual property: patents, which cover inventions and process innovations; copyright, which protects original works of authorship; and trademarks, which protect a business’ commercial identity as the source of valuable goods and services. You will then explore case studies of how global businesses have used intellectual property law to generate enormous value from these intangible assets.
More resources on Intellectual Property
uspto.gov
USPTO.gov is the official U.S. government portal for patents and trademarks, offering guidance on IP laws and procedures, filing and fee information, and access to patent and trademark databases along with educational resources to learn about protecting intellectual property.
wipo.int
WIPO.org is the official portal of the World Intellectual Property Organization, offering authoritative guidance on intellectual property rights, international treaties, and global IP services. It provides sections and tools for patents, trademarks, copyrights, IP statistics, learning resources, and mechanisms like the PCT, Madrid, and Hague systems.
nolo.com
Nolo is a legal information site offering plain-language articles, guides, and affordable do-it-yourself legal forms for individuals and small businesses. It covers business law topics such as forming an LLC, contracts, employment, and intellectual property, with templates, checklists, and state-specific guidance.
Intellectual Property: A Very Short Introduction
Short Oxford overview of copyright, patents, trademarks and related rights, using cases such as Starbucks, Coca-Cola, Sony and Google Books. Readers come away understanding how intellectual property systems work and how politics, technology and economics have reshaped them globally.