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Intellectual property is understood as absolute rights concerning intangibles. Thus intellectual property could be as immaterial goods law. Holders of such laws are e.g. applicants for patents or the creators of copyrighted works. Most of these rights are subject to restrictions such as the right to quote copyrighted works or the right to keep/make copies for private use, the right to research without patent restrictions, or the right of artists to parody.
The idea of an intellectual property first arose in modern times and roots in natural law. Especially since the 18th Century, jurisprudence and legal philosophy developed thoughts concerning intellectual property as to the vigor of books. The term intellectual property law, however, only emerged in the late 19 Century.
These rights and their derivatives are secondary law generally protected by international treaties. Common types of intellectual property include copyrights, trademarks, patents, industrial design rights and - in some jurisdictions - trade secrets.
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