Question: What is a copyright?
Answer: A copyright protects the form of expression of a creator against copying. Literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works are included within the protection of U.S. copyright law. The USPTO does not register copyrights, the copyright office does.
Copyright protection is given to the authors of "original works of authorship," including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available for both published and unpublished works.
The owner of copyright has the exclusive right to do and to authorize others to do the following:
- Reproduce the work in copies or sound recordings.
- Make derivative works based upon the original.
- Distribute copies or sound recordings of the original to the public by sales, rentals, leasing, lending or licensing.
- Perform the original publicly; and that would include the use of digital audio.
- Display the original publicly.
