Protecting your Intellectual Property Peer Watterson including Patents and Trade Marks

Why is IP important? Patents – protecting inventions Trade marks – protecting brands Copyright Other IP – trade secrets, know how, reputation What you can do now Protecting your IP

Why is IP important?

Patents – protecting inventions

Trade marks – protecting brands

Copyright

Other IP – trade secrets, know how, reputation

What you can do now

Why is IP important? Intellectual property can provide a competitive edge: Patents and trademarks give you a monopoly Provide a system for rewarding development of ideas and non-corporeal investments Much of today’s business is involved in non-material products and services

Intellectual property can provide a competitive edge:

Patents and trademarks give you a monopoly

Provide a system for rewarding development of ideas and non-corporeal investments

Much of today’s business is involved in non-material products and services

Patents Available for ideas which are: New Not obvious In certain business essential: Telecoms Pharma In 2008 146,561 patents filed at the European Patent Office

Available for ideas which are:

New

Not obvious

In certain business essential:

Telecoms

Pharma

In 2008 146,561 patents filed at the European Patent Office

Trade Marks Trade marks: a word, phrase or sign which distinguishes goods/services from those of a competitor

Trade marks:

a word, phrase or sign

which distinguishes

goods/services from those of a competitor

Copyright Copyright protects works from being copied. Important for more creative industries: Books Plays Movies Computer software code Very effective if protected with licensing agreements

Copyright protects works from being copied.

Important for more creative industries:

Books

Plays

Movies

Computer software code

Very effective if protected with licensing agreements

Other Intellectual Property Registered/unregistered design Protects the shape or appearance Trade secrets Protect customer lists or other compilations Don’t have to patent, consider keeping secret Use agreements to protect

Registered/unregistered design

Protects the shape or appearance

Trade secrets

Protect customer lists or other compilations

Don’t have to patent, consider keeping secret

Use agreements to protect

What can you do know?

Any Questions? Peer Watterson [email_address] + 44 (0) 20 7663 3500