Intellectual property is knowledge or technology that is unique in some fashion such that the know-how it is based upon can be protected by law. Intellectual property includes patents, trademarks and copyright. Patents are usually based on a design, a process or a system of production. Trademarks are unique visual elements, such as a logo or product name, that help differentiate a business, product or service. Copyright generally relates to written materials such as a book or an article.
