What are intellectual property rights?
Intellectual property rights are those which result from the physical manifestation of original thought. (Ballantine’s Law Dictionary)
Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The most well-known types are copyrights, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets. Early precursors to some types of intellectual property existed in societies such as Ancient Rome, but the modern concept of intellectual property developed in England in the 17th and 18th centuries. The term "intellectual property" began to be used in the 19th century, though it was not until the late 20th century that intellectual property became commonplace in the majority of the world's legal systems. (Intellectual property. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property)
There are no property rights protected by law in mere ideas or mental conceptions. When creations of mind are put in tangible form, there is appropriate subject of property that is protected by law. (63A Am Jur 3rd Property, Section 5)
