Intellectual property (IP) is the outcome of thought or intellectual effort.
Intellectual property rights are a series of legal rights that give protection
for different types of invention, design, brand name or original creation. The
legal rights, which include patents, trade marks and copyright, give the creator
the right to prevent the unauthorised use of their materials or creation for the
specified period of protection. These rights exist to reward creativity and
encourage inventors to share their innovations. Unauthorised use can be a
criminal offence, equivalent to theft.