Question 1

What is the period of copyright protection provided for individuals under the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998?
A)Individuals are granted 120 years copyright protection from the year of creation of the work.
B)Individuals are granted 95 years copyright protection from the year of first publication of the work.
C)Individuals are granted copyright protection for their lifetime plus 70 years.
D)Individuals are granted 20 years of copyright protection, after which it has to be renewed for a fee.

Accepted Answer

The Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998 extended the copyright protection for individuals to the life of the author plus 70 years.

Question 2

When does a patent enter the public domain?
A)when the patent has been challenged in court and found to be an infringement
B)when the patent term period has expired
C)when the government deems that the practical purpose of the invention is universally applicable and cannot be controlled by one individual or group of people
D)when the invention is either obvious or not a novel one

Accepted Answer

A patent enters the public domain when the patent term period has expired. This is typically 20 years from the filing date of the patent application. After this time, the invention becomes free for anyone to use and is no longer protected by patent law.

Question 3

________ is a legal right that gives the author of qualifying subject matter, and who meets other requirements established by law, the exclusive right to publish, produce, sell, license, and distribute the work.
A)Trade secret
B)Trademark
C)Copyright
D)Patent

Accepted Answer

Copyright is a legal right that gives the author of qualifying subject matter, and who meets other requirements established by law, the exclusive right to publish, produce, sell, license, and distribute the work.

Question 4

Which of the following is suitable for copyrighting?
A)buildings
B)musical compositions
C)business methods
D)product logos

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is suitable for...

Question 5

Which of the following statements is true of patenting a scientific principle?
A)Patent for a scientific principle has to be applied for directly at the U.S.Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
B)A scientific principle can only be patented if it is a part of the tangible environment.
C)Patent for a scientific principle has to be applied for at the U.S.Patent and Trademark Office.
D)A scientific principle can only be patented once a universal consensus has been reached on its validity.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements is true...

Question 6

According to the Economic Espionage Act, ________.
A)persons who have reverse engineered a trade secret can use that trade secret, and the related trademark
B)the rights to a trade secret will have to be renewed after a specified period of time
C)trade secrets can be shared for a limited amount of time
D)it is a federal crime to steal another's trade secret

Accepted Answer

The Economic Espionage Act (EEA) makes it a federal crime to steal trade secrets. Therefore, option D is the correct answer. Option A is incorrect as the act prohibits the theft of trade secrets regardless of how they were obtained. Option B is incorrect as trade secrets do not need to be renewed like patents. Option C is incorrect as sharing trade secrets even for a limited time can still be considered theft.

Question 7

A ________ is a grant by the federal government upon the inventor of an invention for the exclusive right to use, sell, or license the invention for a limited amount of time.
A)copyright
B)patent
C)trade secret
D)trademark

Accepted Answer

A patent is a type of intellectual property that grants the inventor of an invention the exclusive right to use, sell, or license the invention for a limited period of time, usually 20 years from the filing date. This allows the inventor to prevent others from making, using, or selling the invention without their permission. Copyrights, trade secrets, and trademarks are other types of intellectual property that protect different aspects of creative works and business assets.

Question 8

What federal statute was enacted by the Congress to protect trade secrets?
A)Economic Espionage Act
B)Sarbanes-Oxley Act
C)Lanham Act
D)Telecommunication Act

Accepted Answer

The Economic Espionage Act (EEA) was enacted by Congress to protect trade secrets against misappropriation, theft or unauthorized disclosure. It defines and criminalizes two main offenses: (1) theft of trade secrets and (2) economic espionage. The EEA provides both civil and criminal remedies for victims of trade secret misappropriation. Therefore, option A is the correct answer.

Question 9

Which of the following is a provision made under the Berne Convention, the international copyright treaty that the United States is a party to?
A)The treaty makes it mandatory to place the copyright symbol on all copyrighted works.
B)The treaty sets the rules for how copyright can be dealt with when sharing copyrighted work between governments.
C)The treaty eliminates the need to place the copyright symbol or the word "copyright" on a copyrighted work.
D)The treaty stipulates the time period a copyright can be retained by the copyright holder before it enters the public domain.

Accepted Answer

The Berne Convention eliminates the need for formalities such as placing the copyright symbol or the word "copyright" on a work for it to be protected.

Question 10

Which of the following types of patents is valid only for a period of 14 years?
A)utility patent
B)process patent
C)business method patent
D)design patent

Accepted Answer

A design patent is valid for 15 years from the date it is granted, but it can only be enforced for 14 years from the date of issuance. Therefore, a design patent is only valid for a period of 14 years. Utility patents, process patents, and business method patents are all valid for 20 years from the filing date.

Question 11

Which of the following is a key function of the U.S.Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit with regards to patents?
A)It hears appeals rejected from state courts regarding patent issues.
B)It accepts applications for new patents.
C)It helps to enact new patent laws.
D)It helps to promote uniformity in patent laws.

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit plays a key role in promoting uniformity in patent laws by hearing appeals from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and district courts regarding patent issues. Its decisions set legal precedents that can influence future cases and help to create a consistent interpretation of patent laws. It does not accept applications for new patents or help to enact new patent laws, nor does it handle appeals rejected from state courts regarding patent issues.

Question 12

A competitor can lawfully use a rival's trade secret if the competitor got the trade secret by means of ________.
A)cross-licensing
B)reverse engineering
C)patenting
D)copyrighting

Accepted Answer

A competitor can lawfully use a rival's trade secret if they obtained the information by reverse engineering, which is the process of taking apart and analyzing a product to see how it works. Cross-licensing, patenting, and copyrighting do not provide legal permission to use a trade secret without permission.

Question 13

What is a patent number?
A)a number assigned to a patent during application
B)a number assigned to a patent when the patent is pending
C)a number assigned to a patent once the patent is granted
D)a number assigned to a patent when it comes under investigation

Accepted Answer

A patent number is a number assigned to a patent once it has been granted by the patent office. It serves as a unique identifier for the patent and is used to reference the patent in legal and commercial contexts.

Question 14

What happens to a copyrighted work after it has finished its copyright period with regards to its ownership?
A)The work will enter the public domain to be used for free.
B)A non-copyright holder can purchase the rights to the work.
C)The copyright can be renewed for a fee by the original creator of the work.
D)The government takes over ownership of the work, and provides it to the public domain for a fee.

Accepted Answer

After a copyrighted work has finished its copyright period, it enters the public domain and becomes available for use by anyone without permission or payment. The work no longer has an owner or copyright holder.

Question 15

How do patent laws help an inventor?
A)by letting the inventor keep his patents indefinitely
B)by helping the inventor meet potential buyers for his patented inventions
C)by providing protection for patented inventions from infringement
D)by helping the inventor guard his patented invention from the public

Accepted Answer

Patent laws provide protection for the inventor's patented invention, so that others cannot produce, use or sell the same invention without authorization. This protection helps the inventor to prevent others from making or selling a product that is based on his or her invention, thereby giving the inventor the exclusive right to benefit from the invention. This can help the inventor to establish a market for the invention, and potentially earn revenue from licensing, sales or other opportunities.

Question 16

Which of the following statements is true of the patent period in the United States?
A)It follows the first-to-file rule.
B)The patent period for an invention is 17 years.
C)The patent term begins to run from the date the patent application is filed.
D)The patent term begins to run from the date the patent is issued.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements is true...

Question 17

A ________ is a patent that protects the functionality of a patent.
A)method patent
B)design patent
C)utility patent
D)process patent

Accepted Answer

A utility patent protects the functionality of an invention or discovery, while a design patent protects the ornamental design of an object. Method and process patents are typically used interchangeably and protect a particular process or method for creating a product or performing a task. Therefore, the best choice is C) utility patent.

Question 18

Apart from recovering damages, and recovering profits made by the offender, successful plaintiffs in a misappropriation of a trade secret case can also ________.
A)obtain the offender's trademarks or brand name as payoff
B)ask for transfer of any of the offender's patents to the plaintiff
C)ask to acquire the offender's trade secrets as payoff
D)obtain an injunction prohibiting the offender from divulging the trade secret

Accepted Answer

A successful plaintiff in a misappropriation of a trade secret case can obtain an injunction, which is a court order prohibiting the offender from divulging or using the trade secret. This is to prevent any further harm or damage to the plaintiff's business. Options A, B, and C are not typical forms of relief in a trade secret misappropriation case.

Question 19

Which of the following provisions does the American Inventors Protection Act make?
A)It lets the inventor apply for a provisional right application.
B)It allows the inventor to ask for an immediate patent on his invention.
C)It protects the invention from going public before the patent is issued.
D)It does not let non-patent holders to challenge the inventor's patent.

Accepted Answer

The American Inventors Protection Act allows inventors to file a provisional application, which establishes an early filing date and gives them a year to file a full patent application.

Question 20

According to the public use doctrine for patents, ________.
A)a patent will not be granted if the invention was already in public use for one year before filing application
B)an invention cannot be used in the public domain prior to it being granted a patent
C)the inventor has to test his invention in the public domain, to measure its validity, before being granted a patent
D)the invention will come into the public domain once its term period has expired

Accepted Answer

According to the public use doctrine, if an invention has been in public use for more than one year before an application for a patent is filed, the patent will not be granted. This is to ensure that the inventor does not have an unfair advantage over the public and that the invention has not already become part of the public domain. Choice B is incorrect because an invention can be used in the public domain before being granted a patent, but it cannot be sold or offered for sale. Choice C is incorrect because the inventor does not have to test the invention in the public domain for validity. Choice D is incorrect because the invention may still be protected under patent law during its term period.

Quiz 7: Intellectual Property and Cyber Piracy

What is the period of copyright protection provided for individuals under the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998?

When does a patent enter the public domain?

________ is a legal right that gives the author of qualifying subject matter, and who meets other requirements established by law, the exclusive right to publish, produce, sell, license, and distribute the work.

Which of the following is suitable for copyrighting?

Which of the following statements is true of patenting a scientific principle?

According to the Economic Espionage Act, ________.

A ________ is a grant by the federal government upon the inventor of an invention for the exclusive right to use, sell, or license the invention for a limited amount of time.

What federal statute was enacted by the Congress to protect trade secrets?

Which of the following is a provision made under the Berne Convention, the international copyright treaty that the United States is a party to?

Which of the following types of patents is valid only for a period of 14 years?

Which of the following is a key function of the U.S.Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit with regards to patents?

A competitor can lawfully use a rival's trade secret if the competitor got the trade secret by means of ________.

What is a patent number?

What happens to a copyrighted work after it has finished its copyright period with regards to its ownership?

How do patent laws help an inventor?

Which of the following statements is true of the patent period in the United States?

A ________ is a patent that protects the functionality of a patent.

Apart from recovering damages, and recovering profits made by the offender, successful plaintiffs in a misappropriation of a trade secret case can also ________.

Which of the following provisions does the American Inventors Protection Act make?

According to the public use doctrine for patents, ________.