New To Intellectual Property?

What is Intellectual Property and how is it protected?

Intellectual property (IP) refers to intellectual creations of the mind. It is a collective term for a number of legal rights that protect creative or innovative endeavours such as inventions, brand names or logos, industrial designs or literary and other artistic works.

Frequently, more than one intellectual property rights (IP Rights) can exist at the same time to form an IP portfolio. For example, a household appliance, for example, may be simultaneously protected by patents, trademark and/or industrial design right. IP Rights are commercial assets which can be bought, sold, licensed or even mortgaged.

Patents

Protect technical articles, processes or improvements to articles or processes.

Trademarks

For protecting use of certain words, slogans or logos associated with good or services an individual, a product or a business.

Industrial Designs

Industrial Designs protect the appearance, that is the look and feel of a commercial product.

Copyright

Copyright  protects literary and artistic works such as novels, poems and plays, films, musical works, artistic works such as drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures, and architectural designs. Copyright may also be used for the protection of computer programs.

Avoiding Infringing And Third Party Rights

How Can We Help?

Based on our own experience and the experience of our clients, we know that launching your innovative product or service can be a minefield. You need to know whether any existing IP rights that conflict with your patents, trademarks or designs, could hinder your ability to commercialise your product.

Intellectual Property Training and Education

Tomkins offer training and education programmes for companies of all sizes and in all fields. Please contact us for further details.

Contact Us