Relationship between ideas and copyrights Idea

a picture of lightbulb used represent person having bright idea.

in cases, authors can granted limited legal monopolies on manner in works expressed. known colloquially copyright, although term intellectual property used mistakenly in place of copyright. copyright law regulating aforementioned monopolies not cover actual ideas. law not bestow legal status of property upon ideas per se. instead, laws purport regulate events related usage, copying, production, sale , other forms of exploitation of fundamental expression of work, may or may not carry ideas. copyright law fundamentally different patent law in respect: patents grant monopolies on ideas (more on below).

a copyright meant regulate aspects of usage of expressions of work, not idea. thus, copyrights have negative relationship ideas.

work means tangible medium of expression. may original or derivative work of art, literary, dramatic, musical recitation, artistic, related sound recording, etc. in (at least) countries adhering berne convention, copyright automatically starts covering work upon original creation , fixation thereof, without steps. while creation involves idea, idea in not suffice purposes of claiming copyright.