IP

Intellectual property is the general name under which arise the rights related to Copyright, Unregistered Design Rights, Registered Design Rights, Patents and Trade Marks.
Under those original work can be legally protected from theft.
The work owner can decide under those rights who can use its property and its the owner responsibility to pursue infringement.
A Patent protects an inventor from others copying its invention and gives the right to him alone to manufacture, use and sell a product. Though the invention must follow two criteria: that has never been publicly disclosed before the date in which the patent application has been filed and that it is truly original and not just a mere modification of something that has already been disclosed to the public.
Copyright exist in artistic works such as painting, drawings, fabrics and photographs. The work must be original and the right is automatically created once the design is recorded. It lasts for the life of the creator plus 70 years after his death.
Uk Artistic Copyright exist in sculptures, architecture and work of artistic craftsmanship. Again the work must be original and lasts for the life of the creator plus 70 years.                                                                                                                                                                                    UK  Unregistered Design Rights exist in 3-D work such as furniture or interior design. The right protection lasts either 10 or 15 years. In the last 5 years anyone can copy the design but is subject to the payment of a royalty to the designer.
Uk Registered Design Right protects the appearance of a product: shapes, contours, lines, colors, and textures of the product. The design must not have been disclosed for more than a year and must differ from existing designs in the market place. Protection lasts up to 25 years and is renewable every 5 years.
Unregistered Community Design applies to the same type of designs protected by registered design. The right only lasts 3 years.
Registered Community Design allows the registration to be effective throughout the European Union unlike Uk Registered Design which provides protection in the Uk only but all the other aspect remain the same.
Trade Mark protect mark and only seldom can protect the shape of a product. If the mark is not distinctive enough registration will be refused.
Community Trade Marks offers protection in 28 member states.

Reference:
http://www.acid.uk.com/what-is-intellectual-property-ip.html