HOME LAW INSURANCE


       
Find a Lawyer
Browse Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property Home Page

Resources
Trademark Lawyers
Copyright Lawyers
Intellectual Property Law Forum
Articles & FAQs
   Communications Law
   Computer Law
   Copyright Law
   Intellectual Property
   Music Law
   Patent Law
»Trade Secrets
Intellectual Property - Trade Secrets - Trade secrets

  Page 1 of 1

Do I keep something secret or patent it?
That will depend on the specific facts and circumstances of your invention. For example, how long do you expect it will be commercially viable? If it you think the secret can remain secret for a long time and are confident that no one will be able to figure it out on their own, you may prefer to keep it as a trade secret. The formula for Coca-Cola was developed over 100 years ago, and it is still a trade secret. As patents have a limited duration, and are made public when they are issued if the inventor of Coca Cola had patented it, the patent protection would have run out long ago. Today anyone would be able to use the formula. Very often lawyers assist inventors in making choices between seeking to protect an invention with a patent or by relying on trade secret law. See the section on Trade Secret Law for more information.
« View All Trade secrets Pages  
« Post Your Case  



Get Legal Forms
Download 36,000+ forms
Law Forums
Search over 600,000 topics and answers in our law forums.
HACKER SAFE certified sites prevent over 99.9% of hacker crime. State Law Center | Legal Links | Site Map | Privacy Policy | Media | About Us | Contact Us

FreeAdvice® has been providing millions of consumers with outstanding advice, free, since 1995. While not a substitute for personal advice from a licensed professional, it is available AS IS, subject to our disclaimer and conditions of use. FreeAdvice®, AttorneyPages®, ExpertPages®, and LegalSoapbox™ are units or affiliates of Advice Company. All Rights Reserved © 1995-2008