Patents Copyright and Trademarks Flashcards
What is Patents?
A patent gives a citizen the legal right to stop others from copying, making, selling or importing an invention without permission
A patent is based on one of the fellowing:
1) How something works
2) How something is made
3) What something is made of
What does a patent require?
The details of the invention
Where should the patent register?
the Patent Office
What happen after a paten is approved?
Grants a licence
Meaning the holder has exclusive rights to exploit the invention for 20 years (!renewed annually!)
What can the patent holder do?
To sell or license part or all of these rights to other firms around the work.
For an idea to be patented
1) The invention must be genuinely new
2) It cannot just be adaptation of something that is already in the public domain
3) It must be capable of industrial application
Other ideas that cannot be patented are:
1) Scientific or mathematical discoveries, theories or methods
2) Literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works
3) Schemes, rules or methods for performing a mental act
4) Methods of medical treatment
Copyright
Copyright applies to a wide range or writing and recorded material, includes books, magazines, software, drawings and photograph.
Legislation related to copyright
The Copyright Designs and Patent Act 1988
Copyright Designs and Patent Act 1988 only works
if the work itself is produced
Registered Trademarks
- To protect trade names, logos and even colours and turns
* To defend a firm against other firms passing themselves off as an imitation of the firm’s service or product
