What type of work does copyright not protect?

Copyright law specifically protects original works of authorship, which include artistic and literary works. This covers a wide range of creative expressions, including music, literature, visual arts, and more. However, copyright does not extend to certain types of works that are not considered original expressions of ideas or that fall under different legal protections.

Patents, for instance, protect inventions and processes, while copyright applies only to the expression of ideas, not the ideas themselves. Consequently, the correct choice indicates that copyright does not protect patents. Additionally, laws and regulations are considered public domain and are intended for public use, which means they are not eligible for copyright protection.

In contrast, artistic and literary works are explicitly included within the scope of copyright, highlighting the distinction between different types of intellectual property and the specific protections they provide. Thus, the understanding of what copyright covers and what it does not is crucial for determining the nature of original works and the legal safeguards applicable to them.