Stage 8Protecting Your Idea
Protect Your Idea
Intellectual Property
1. Patents Is a government grant that gives you the
right to take legal action, if necessary, against other individuals who without consent make, use, or sell the invention covered by your patent during the time the patent is in force.
2. Trademarks Is a word, symbol, picture, design, or
combination of these that distinguishes your goods and services from those of others in the marketplace.
3. Copyright Gives you the right to preclude others from
reproducing or copying your original published work.
Intellectual Property
4. Industrial Designs Comprises the feature of shape,
configuration, pattern, or ornament applied to a finished article made by hand, tool, or machine.
5. Integrated Circuit Topographies
The circuits incorporated into an integrated circuit (IC) are embodied in a three-dimensional hill-and-valley configuration called a topography.
What Is The Difference Between Patent, Trademark and Copyright
Patent Can be granted to the inventor of
any new and useful product, chemical composition, machine or manufacturing process
Awarded on a “first to file” basis Protection provided for 20 years
from date of application The onus is on you to protect your
rights under the patent Holding a patent does not
necessarily mean commercial success
Trademark A word, symbol, picture, design, or
combination of these that distinguishes your goods and services from those of others
Can be registered to enable you to obtain exclusive use
Non-mandatory that it be registered but does establish obvious proof of ownership
Registration is effective for 15 years and may be renewed for a series of 15-year terms as long as it is still in use
Onus is on the owner to police the use of the trademark
Registration in Canada provides no protection in other countries
Copyright Copyright precludes others from
reproducing or copying your original published work--books, leaflets, lectures, maps, musical compositions, computer programs, etc.
Exists for the duration of your life plus 50 years after your death
No legal requirement the work be registered; copyright is automatically acquired upon creation of an original work
Responsibility for policing copyright rests with the holder
A copyright in Canada provides simultaneous protection in most other countries of the world
Top Related