If someone can make money from your ideas… make sure it’s you!
Your ideas are your intellectual property (IP). But that does not mean they are automatically protected. If you are going to invest in the research, development, production and marketing of innovative products, you deserve to be able to stop competitors from profiting from your ideas.
Businesses and inventors can apply for patents, trade marks and other rights to give them the legal authority to protect their IP.
Patents give the you the right to stop anyone from making or using your invention. You must apply for a patent. A patentable invention must be new, involve an inventive step (a solution that is not obvious to a skilled person) and be capable of industrial application.
Trade marks distinguish goods or services through the use of logos, words and even sounds. They protect the reputation and goodwill a trader has built up. In other words, your brand. Well-known trade marks include business names like Apple, logos like the McDonald’s double arches, or the Nike slogan ‘Just do it’. Discover what you can register here.
Designs represent the look of a product or item. You can apply for a registered design to protect this visual appearance.
Copyright is the right to stop people copying original works. It applies automatically and covers creations and compositions such as books, music, paintings, sculpture, films, computer programs, databases, advertisements, maps, and technical drawings. Copyright does not protect inventions or designs.
A patent attorney is an expert in the intellectual property laws of the United Kingdom and overseas. They are also highly qualified engineers and scientists. Your patent attorney could become an invaluable member of your development team, offering strategic advice and helping you apply for and protect your patents, trade marks and designs.
For more information, see Why do I need a Chartered Patent Attorney?