What constitutes "intellectual property"?

Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind, encompassing a wide range of ideas and innovations that can be legally protected. This includes inventions, original works of authorship, trademarks, and patents. The essence of intellectual property is that it pertains to intangible assets that originate from human intellect, distinguishing them from physical or tangible assets.

The focus on inventions, patents, and copyrights highlights the types of intellectual property that are specifically protected by law to encourage creativity and innovation. Patents protect new inventions or processes, copyrights safeguard creative works such as literature and art, and trademarks protect symbols, names, and slogans used to identify goods or services.

In contrast, the other options deal with physical or real property, such as tangible assets owned by a business or documentation related to business operations. These do not fall under the umbrella of intellectual property since they relate to physical or operational facets of business rather than the protection of creative ideas or innovations.