Have a Brilliant Idea? How to Keep it Safe. (Infographic) From patents to trademarks to copyrights, here is an overview of what you can legally do to protect your intellectual property.

By Catherine Clifford

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The trouble with intellectual property is that it's tricky to hide. At the same time, the stakes for keeping your ideas secret can be high.

For many entrepreneurs, the life or death of a business can hinge on whether their intellectual property is protected, and how. Intellectual property can mean everything from the engineering behind a machine to a production process to a design, color or particular phrase of words.

Related: Patent Reform and the Future of Innovation

In the U.S., there are four main ways to protect an idea. One option is to file a patent. Depending on the sort of patent an inventor seeks, a patent can legally protect intellectual property for up to 20 years. Last year, more than 600,000 patents were filed in the U.S.

Take a look at this infographic from Mesa, Ariz.-based law firm Cook & Cook, embedded below, to find out how else you can keep your ideas private and what each sort of protection each option affords you.

Click to Enlarge+
Have a Brilliant Idea? How to Keep it Safe. (Infographic)

Related: Why Protecting Intellectual Property Is Crucial to Business Success on 5 Counts

Catherine Clifford

Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC

Catherine Clifford is senior entrepreneurship writer at CNBC. She was formerly a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com, the small business reporter at CNNMoney and an assistant in the New York bureau for CNN. Clifford attended Columbia University where she earned a bachelor's degree. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can follow her on Twitter at @CatClifford.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Leadership

Why Investors Need Emotional Strength Just as Much as a Diversified Portfolio

Does it really matter how diversified your portfolio is if you can't handle your emotions when the market starts crashing and your assets are losing value?

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

OpenAI Employees Could Become Multimillionaires Next Week Thanks to a New Stock Sale

OpenAI employees can cash out on millions of dollars worth of stock.

Business News

Oscar Mayer Is Hiring Drivers for Its Famous Wienermobile. Here's How to Apply and How Much You'll Get Paid.

The one-year gig is a coveted role—only 1% of applicants become "hotdoggers."

Thought Leaders

Why Cybersecurity is the Cornerstone of Success for Businesses of All Sizes

Cybersecurity is a journey, not a destination: It's about staying ahead of the curve, always learning and adapting.