This document summarizes key information about intellectual property (IP) ownership and common IP issues. It discusses the main types of IP - copyrights, trademarks, and patents. For each it provides examples of common problems like unclear licensing terms, failure to register trademarks, and missed patent deadlines. The document aims to help people understand IP rights and avoid infringement claims by clarifying ownership upfront.

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2. What You Need to Know
About Owning Your
Intellectual Property
Lisa Abe-Oldenburg
Catherine Dennis Brooks
Dr. Karen Durell
March 26, 2015

3. 3
What You Need to Know About Owning
Your Intellectual Property
1. Introduction
2. Copyrights
3. Trade-marks
4. Patents
5. Q&A

4. 4
INTRODUCTION
• “Intellectual Property” or “IP” is a term used to describe
the many types of intangible rights, which can co-exist
in same thing or process
• Statutory rights differ in each country
– In Canada, we have a Copyright Act, Trade-marks Act and a
Patent Act
– Other statutory IP, e.g. Industrial Designs, Integrated Circuit
Topographies, Plant Breeders’ Rights
• Common law rights, e.g. Trade Secrets (created through
duties of confidence or contract)

5. 5
Introduction
• Each type of IP comes with its own bundle of rights
• Anyone who creates, hires someone to create, buys,
sells, distributes, licenses or uses/exercises the IP must
understand who owns it, what specific rights they have
and what they don’t
• Buyer/user risk of infringement claims and serious
damages or increased license fees/royalties if you don’t
have the rights you need up front
• Seller/licensor risk of giving away too much and leaving
money on the table if you don’t clarify the IP rights

6. 6
COMMON COPYRIGHT PROBLEMS
• Scenario 1 – Software license giving “right to use” software – what does
that mean???
• Copyright protects every original literary (includes computer programs and
databases), dramatic, musical and artistic work
• The “right to use” is not a right under the Copyright Act
• Owner’s exclusive statutory rights include:
– Produce
– Reproduce/copy
– Perform
– Publish
– Translate
– Communicate by telecommunication
– Also for computer programs, to rent

7. 7
Common Copyright Problems
• Statutory rights can be further dissected by scope, e.g.
territory, line of business, product, machine/equipment,
online/Internet/electronic vs. hardcopy, number/volume,
term/duration, etc.
• Is it worldwide? Unlimited? Perpetual?

8. 8
Common Copyright Problems
• Scenario 2 – You hired a developer
• Just because you paid for it, doesn’t mean you own it
• No “work for hire” rule in Canada
• Copyrights exist automatically under Copyright Act - works are first
owned by the author/creator (or their employer if created in the
course of employment)
• Subcontractors and freelancers own the work they create unless
they sign a written assignment
• What rights are being assigned/transferred?
• Otherwise might be just an implied license – what is its scope???

9. 9
Common Copyright Problems
• Scenario 3 – Your company is selling or buying IP licenses to/from
a third party and the license agreements don’t prohibit
assignment/transferability
• Is the IP transferable or sublicensable?
• Similarly, what happens if you need to give/receive the IP to/from a
customer, outsourcer or service provider?
• Copyright license grants are personal to the licensee – need express
permission from the licensor to transfer/assign or sublicense. Silence is
not acceptable.
• Can you give proper reps and warranties as to ownership and/or
licensability?
• Have you checked the confidentiality restrictions in the licenses?

10. 10
Common Copyright Problems
• Scenario 4 – You try to change the original work which you do rightfully own
and still get sued by the author
• Violation of author’s “moral rights” – what are those???
• You cannot modify a copyright work unless you have a written waiver of
moral rights from all authors
• Waiver not the same as an assignment
• One waiver may not cover all future owners/assignees and licensees
• Moral rights include:
– Right to integrity of the work (can’t modify it)
– Right to remain anonymous
– Right to be associated with the work by name or under a pseudonym

11. 11
Common Copyright Problems
• Scenario 5 – Your company receives/gives a non-exclusive sole
license to exercise the right to….
• What does that mean???
• Know the difference between exclusive vs. non-exclusive vs.
sole license rights
– “Exclusive” means to the exclusion of all others including the licensor
themselves (creates a monopoly) – licensor can no longer exercise
those rights or license those rights to others
– “Non-exclusive” means the licensor can continue to exercise those
rights and can further sublicense others the same rights (creates
competition)
– “Sole” means the licensor can continue to exercise those rights (some
competition) but cannot further sublicense others the same rights

12. 12
What is a Trade-mark?
• Words MILLER THOMSON
• Slogan ADDED EXPERIENCE.
ADDED CLARITY. ADDED
VALUE.
• Word & Design
• Design
A trademark distinguishes your goods and
services from those of others.

13. 13
Common Trade-mark Problems
Scenario 1 - TESLA trade-mark protected by Tesla Motors, Inc.
in Canada and the United States, but registered in China by an
entrepreneur. $4 million infringement action started by the
entrepreneur when TESLA cars sold in China.
• Trade-mark rights are generally national in scope
• Protection through registration should be obtained in all jurisdictions in
which business is carried on in association with the trade-mark

14. 14
Common Trade-mark Problems
Scenario 2 - Yukon Territory television ad campaign to promote
tourism launched with use of the slogan 'We'll leave a light on
for you'. Motel 6 owns registrations for 'We'll leave the light on
for you'.
• Searches are recommended prior to filing a trade-mark application to
ensure it is available for use and registration in Canada
• Various types of searches:
• Identical hit search
• Full availability search

15. 15
Trade-marks
• Identical hit searches have limitations – reveal only identical / near
identical marks
• Full availability searches obtained from an external provider
(Thomson CompuMarK) – comprehensive information including
confusingly similar marks, business name registrations, domain
names, internet search results

16. 16
Common Trade-mark Problems
Scenario 3 - Your company has used a trade-mark for many
years. Is it necessary to register it?
• Benefits of Trademark Registration
• Trade-mark rights exist without registration and are protected through the
tort of passing off
• Registration gives the owner of the exclusive right to use the mark
throughout Canada
• Statutory causes of action available to registrant
• Public notice of rights may deter infringers
• Practical advantage in litigation

17. 17
Trademarks
Prosecution of Trade-mark Application
• A trade-mark is registrable if it is not:
• A word that is primarily the name or surname of an individual
who is living or has died within the preceding 30 years
• Clearly descriptive of deceptively misdescriptive of the character
of quality of the wares or services in association with which it is
used or proposed to be used
• Confusingly similar to a registered or applied for trade-mark

18. 18
Trade-marks
Prosecution of a Trade-mark Application
• Filing
• Examination
• Approval or Examiner’s Report
• Advertisement in Trade-marks Journal
• Allowance
• Registration

19. 19
Trade-marks
Prosecution of a Trade-mark Application
• One or two years from filing to registration
• $1500 to $2000 if no complicated Examiner’s reports
and no opposition proceedings
• Registration is valid for 15 years and can be renewed
upon payment of renewal fee

20. 20
Common Trade-mark Problems
Scenario 4 - Your company stops using a trade-mark it
registered and starts using a different mark. Can its rights in
the registered mark be lost?
• Section 45 Proceedings
• Can be initiated 3 years after registration
• Must show use of the mark as registered within the three
years prior to the date of the section 45 notice

21. 21
Trade-marks
Trade-mark Use, Marking and Notices
™ Trade-mark of Miller Thomson LLP, used under
license.

22. 22
Patents
First Owner: Inventor
Right: exclusive right, privilege and
liberty of making, constructing and
using the invention and selling it to
others to be used
 National
 Filing Required
 20 years from filing date
Criteria: Protection for an invention that
is novel, non-obvious, has utility and is
patentable subject matter

23. 23
Common Patent Problems
• Scenario 1: I went to a conference / trade
show and presented my invention.
– Public Disclosure
• Rules can Differ by Country
– Absolute Novelty
– 12 month Disclosure Grace Period

24. 24
Common Patent Problems
• Scenario 2: A required due date for my
patent was missed.
– Examples of Required Due Dates:
• Maintenance Fee
• Request for Examination
• Response to Office Action
– Deemed Abandoned
• 12 months
• Reinstatement

25. 25
Common Patent Problems
• Scenario 3: A competitor is racing to the
marketplace and may have filed a patent
application.
– First-to-file System
– 18 month Application Secrecy
• Plant Derived Vaccine Applications
– Rugers (N. Tumer, etc., Mar. 5, 2012)
– H. Daniell (Sept. 11, 2012)
– U of Central Florida (H. Daniell, Dec. 17, 2012)
– Sound Prediction

26. 26
Common Patent Problems
• Scenario 4: The patents were filed in the name
of the inventors, but they should be owned by
the company.
– First Owner = Inventor(s)
• Chain of Title
– Contracts/IP Policies
» Employees?
» Students?
– Beneficiary or Estate of inventor?
– Assign Patents
• File Assignments with the Patent Office
– Witness / Proof of Execution by Assignor
e.g., Vaccine
Applications:
App #1. Owner: H.
Daniell
App #2. Owner: U of
Central Florida &
Inventor: H. Daniell

27. www.millerthomson.com
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