Copyright is a form of intellectual property protection that grants the creator of original works, such as literary, artistic, musical, and certain other intellectual creations, exclusive rights to use, distribute, and modify their work for a specified period. Copyright covers works like books, music, films, software, and visual art, giving the creator control over how their work is used by others, including the right to authorize reproductions or adaptations. U.S. Copyright Office, 2024.
The USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) does not handle copyrights because copyright protection is administered by the U.S. Copyright Office, which is part of the Library of Congress. While the USPTO oversees patents and trademarks—rights associated with inventions and brand identifiers—copyrights are managed separately as they cover a different aspect of intellectual property, specifically creative works rather than inventions or brand elements.
