A device that makes cake decorating easier. Which item should Carl use to protect his intellectual property?

• A. Copyright
• B. Trademark
• C. Patent
• D. Trade secret

Answer: (C)

When protecting a new device that makes cake decorating easier, a patent is the best choice. A patent covers new and useful inventions and gives the inventor exclusive rights to make, use, and sell the device for a period of time. This stops others from copying the functional design, as long as the invention is truly new and non-obvious and has practical use. The typical protection lasts around 20 years in many places, though the details depend on the jurisdiction.

Copyright would not protect the device itself since it covers original creative works like writings or software, not functional gadgets. A trademark protects brand identity—names, logos, and slogans—rather than the invention. A trade secret protects confidential information that gives a competitive edge, such as a secret recipe or process, but the device’s core features are generally best protected by a patent, since keeping them secret is risky if others can independently discover or reverse-engineer the device.