The two main types of patents are design patents and utility patents. Patents give you exclusive right to an invention and last 15-20 years. Design patents cover only the literal ornamentation of something that is manufactured whereas utility patents cover the actual useful process of the thing that is manufactured.

Trademark is a word, phrase or symbol (i.e. brand name or logo) that identifies the source of a good or service that is produced. Trademarks do not expire as long as they are continually in use. They do not need to be applied for, but if formally applied for and registered you are allowed to use the ® symbol. Non-registered trademarks just use common law "TM" or "SM" and this is fine. Trademarks need to be unique in terms of word(s) and specific industry/application otherwise they can be challenged.

Copyrights protect works of authorship (literary, artistic, software, etc) and do not need to be applied for either. They are automatic upon your producing a work of authorship. Copyright lasts 70 years after the author's death and if the author is anonymous it lasts 95-120 years depending on when it was created or first published.

Even though you don't have to register trademarks or copyrights, it is always useful to do so. These two are generally inexpensive to register while patents can cost many thousands of dollars.