IP Law Strategy for Tech: Patents, Copyright & Trade Secrets

IP Law Strategy for Tech: Patents, Copyright & Trade Secrets

This course is part of Intellectual Property Law and Emerging Technologies Specialization

Instructor: Elizabeth Rothman

Included with Learn more

2 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

9 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

2 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

9 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Assess whether an innovation is patentable and read patent claims, including eligibility issues for software, AI, and biotech.
Explain what copyright protects, how fair use applies, and who owns AI-generated content.
Choose between patents and trade secrets, build a trade secret program, and combine IP types into a layered protection strategy.

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Intellectual Property Law and Emerging Technologies Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 2 modules in this course

This course gives business professionals a practical understanding of how to protect technology innovations with patents, copyright, and trade secrets. You will learn what makes an invention patentable, how eligibility rules affect software, AI, and biotech, and how to choose between patent and trade secret protection. You will also explore the limits of copyright, who owns AI-generated content, how to run a trade secret program, and how to combine multiple forms of IP into a layered strategy. Throughout, you will build the knowledge to work effectively with legal counsel and make informed IP decisions for your company.

You will learn the core requirements an invention must meet to be patentable, including novelty, non-obviousness, utility, enablement, and written description, and how to read and evaluate patent claims. You will also learn how patent eligibility rules affect software, AI, and biotech innovations, how to decide between patent and trade secret protection, and how the patent filing process works from invention disclosure through examination and maintenance.

What's included

10 videos1 reading9 assignments

10 videosTotal 54 minutes

Patent Eligibility for Emerging Technologies (Novelty)5 minutes
Patent Eligibility for Emerging Technologies (Non-Obviousness)5 minutes
Patent Eligibility for Emerging Technologies (Utility)6 minutes
Patent Claims6 minutes
Patent Eligibility 9 minutes
Software and AI Eligibility Challenges 6 minutes
Biotech and Patent Eligibility5 minutes
Patent vs. Trade Secret for Your Innovation6 minutes
Patent Process and Costs5 minutes
A Message on Professional Development Pathways1 minute

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Pathways to Expand Your Legal Credentials10 minutes

9 assignmentsTotal 270 minutes

Knowledge Check: Patent Eligibility for Emerging Technologies (Novelty)30 minutes
Knowledge Check: Patent Eligibility for Emerging Technologies (Non-Obviousness)30 minutes
Knowledge Check: Patent Eligibility for Emerging Technologies (Utility)30 minutes
Knowledge Check: Patent Claims30 minutes
Knowledge Check: Patent Eligibility 30 minutes
Knowledge Check: Software and AI Eligibility Challenges 30 minutes
Knowledge Check: Biotech and Patent Eligibility30 minutes
Knowledge Check: Patent vs. Trade Secret for Your Innovation30 minutes
Knowledge Check: Patent Process and Costs30 minutes

You will learn what copyright protects in technology products, where its limits lie (including the idea-expression distinction, the merger doctrine, and fair use), and who owns content generated by AI tools. You will also learn how to build a trade secret protection program, respond to a suspected breach, and combine patents, trade secrets, copyright, and trademarks into a layered strategy for protecting a technology product.

What's included

6 videos1 reading6 assignments

6 videosTotal 38 minutes

Copyright Protection in Technology9 minutes
Copyright and AI-Generated Content6 minutes
Fair Use Doctrine7 minutes
Trade Secrets: Creating, Protecting, & Losing Them9 minutes
Layered Protection Strategies6 minutes
Congratulations & Next Steps2 minutes

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Further Pathways to Expand Your Legal Credentials10 minutes

6 assignmentsTotal 180 minutes

Knowledge Check: Copyright Protection in Technology30 minutes
Knowledge Check: Copyright and AI-Generated Content30 minutes
Knowledge Check: Fair Use Doctrine30 minutes
Knowledge Check: Trade Secrets: Creating, Protecting, & Losing Them30 minutes
Knowledge Check: Layered Protection Strategies30 minutes
Confirmation Check30 minutes

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Instructor

Elizabeth Rothman

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

0 Courses0 learners

Offered by

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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Frequently asked questions

To access course materials, assignments, and earn a Certificate, you'll need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. Eligible learners may also have the option to start with a Free Trial. Some courses may also offer a Full Course, No Certificate option. This lets you access course materials, submit required assessments, and receive a final grade, but you won't be able to earn or purchase a Certificate.

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