lesson 1 introduction to intellectual property...

Lesson 1

Introduction to Intellectual Property Rights

T. Kimpfbeck

What is Intellectual

Property (IP)?

What are patents,

trademarks,

copyrights and

desings?

How to get

Intellectual

Property Rights

(IPRs)?

12.08.2014

· Thomas Kimpfbeck ·

EUROPEAN PATENT ATTORNEY 2


Property (IP)?

What are patents,

trademarks,

copyrights and

desings?

How to get

Intellectual

Property Rights

(IPRs)?

12.08.2014



What is Intellectual Property (IP)?

l Intellectual Property = IP = Geistiges Eigentum

l Intellectual Property Rights = IPR = Rechte zum Geistigen Eigentum

l Legal concept

l For creations of the mind(intangable assests), e.g.

l Music, literature, artistic work

l Inventions

l Slogans, words, logos

l Product forms, shapes, colours

l For which exclusive rights (IPRs)are recognized, e.g.

l Copyrights (Urheberrechte)

l Patents

l Trademarks

l Designs

12.08.2014



PRACTICE I – How to protect a mobile

phone

12.08.2014



PRACTICE I - Which IPR?

☐ Patent

☐ Trademark

☐ Design

☐ Copyright

12.08.2014




☐ Patent

Trademark

☐ Design

☐ Copyright

12.08.2014




☐ Patent

☐ Trademark

☐ Design

☐ Copyright

12.08.2014




☐ Patent*

☐ Trademark

Design

☐ Copyright

*In US: „design patent“

12.08.2014




☐ Patent

☐ Trademark

☐ Design

☐ Copyright

App Icons

12.08.2014




☐ Patent

☐ Trademark

Design

☐ Copyright

App Icons

12.08.2014




☐ Patent

☐ Trademark

☐ Design

☐ Copyright

Music in iTunes

12.08.2014




☐ Patent

☐ Trademark

☐ Design

Copyright

Music in iTunes

12.08.2014




☐ Patent

☐ Trademark

☐ Design

☐ Copyright

12.08.2014




Patent

☐ Trademark

☐ Design

☐ Copyright

12.08.2014




Property (IP)?

What are patents,

trademarks,

copyrights and

desings?

How to get

Intellectual

Property Rights

(IPRs)?

12.08.2014



What is a Patent?

– Exclusive right• no allowance

• Prevents others from making, using, selling, distributing the invention

• However, license/ sell the patent

– Granted by a state

– To an inventor or assignee

– For a period of 20 years

– In exchange for a publication after 18 months

– For a product/method

– Which is new and inventive

12.08.2014



Patent Laws around the World

• German Utility Model (Gebrauchsmuster)

– Max. 10 years lifetime

– Only devices

– Cheap

• US-Patent

– 12 months grace period

• EP-Patent

– Regional „bundle of patents“

– incl. e.g. NO, CH, TR

• Soon: EU Unitary Patent

– One patent for all EU states (w/o ES, IT)

Nationale.g. German Patent Law

Regional

e.g European Patent

Convention

International

Patent Copperation Treaty

12.08.2014



What is a Design?

– Exclusive right

– Granted by a state

– To an designer or assignee

– For a 2D/3D shape, configuration or composition of pattern or color, or combination of pattern and color

– Having aesthetic value

12.08.2014



Design Laws around the World

• Non-registered EU Community Design: 2 years lifetime

• Design in China: max. 10 years lifetime

• US Design Patent: max. 14 years lifetime

• Registered EU-Design: 25 years lifetime

EU

Nationale.g. German Design Law

Regional

e.g Community Design

Regulation

International

Hague Agreement

12.08.2014



PRACTICE II – Designs

12.08.2014



PRACTICE II – Design registrable?

2D or 3D appearance

Whole produt or just a part of it,

Resulting from features like: lines, contours, colours,

shape, texture and/or materials, ornamentation

Features of appearance which are solely dictated by ist

technical function

Features enabling one product to be functionally fitted to

another one („The Lego-Clause“)

Exept spare parts!

12.08.2014



PRACTICE II – Protection

Designs may be protected if

• New

and

• Having individual character

• However, not examined during filing!

12.08.2014



PRACTICE II – What Does the Design

Protect?

• Protected are all features being visible

• Visible during normal use

12.08.2014



PRACTICE II – Registrable? Good

protection?Example Design Registrable y/n?

• 3D

• Aesthetic contoure and colour

• No exceptions fulfilled

Yes, register criterions fullfilled

Small scope of protection due to colours

Ventilation slots are technical but their

form and position is free


Also ventilation slots are protected!


However, obviously not new! Bad

protection!

What is a Trademark?

l A sign guaranteeing the origin, the

nature and the quality of goods and

services

l For renewable periods of 10 years

each

l Having distintive character

l Non-descriptive, non-generic

l Word mark

l Logo

l Combined signs

l 3D mark

l Color mark

l Sound trademark

Microsoft

AdidasAudiOpel

Microsoft

AdidasAudiOpel

ZDF-Jingle

Underberg-Jingle

ZDF-Jingle

Underberg-Jingle

12.08.2014



Trademark Laws around the World

• One Community Trademark for all EU member states

– Cheap

• Compulsory use after 5 years

• ® only for registered trademarks

• „TM“ only for nonregistered US Trademarks

Nationale.g. German Trademark Law

Regional

e.g Community Trademark

Regulation

International

Madrid Trademark

Agreement

Madrider Verband (MMA + PMMA)

nur MMA

nur PMMA

EU

12.08.2014



What is a Copyright (German Urherberrecht)?• Exlusive right for an artistic work

– Music

– Literature

– Software

– Speeches

• Lifetime: life of the author + at least 50 years

• Transfer only by licence (inalienable [unveräußerlich])

• Copyright collectives (e.g. GEMA) ...

• GNU, Copyleft ...

12.08.2014




Property (IP)?

What are patents,

trademarks,

copyrights and

desings?

How to get

Intellectual

Property Rights

(IPRs)?

12.08.2014



How to get IPRs?

Patents:

Designs:

Trademarks:

Copyrights:

By application By public use/ creation

By use: e.g. for fashion industry

By use: e.g. Coca-Cola

Application: e.g. in US

12.08.2014



How to get a patent

Invention

Patent

application

Patent Office

Patent-

erteilung

12.08.2014



Legal Support

• www.signo-deutschland.de

• www.dpma.de/amt/aufgaben/auskunftsstellenundrecherchesaele

• www.patentanwaltskammer.de

• www.forte.tum.de

Employed?

Univ. or

Company?

Yes

Employee inventor

• E.g. TUM ForTeUniv.

Employee inventor

• Companies‘ patent

department

Company

Free inventor:

• SIGNO

• Erfinderberatung PIZ

• Patentanwaltskammer

No

12.08.2014



http://www.signo-deutschland.de

http://www.dpma.de/amt/aufgaben/auskunftsstellenundrecherchesaele

http://www.patentanwaltskammer.de

http://www.forte.tum.de

The Way to a Patent

file application

completeness

check

application date

search

reply on search

report

publication

patent application not public

in this period

time line

application date 0 3 – 8 months + set period priority (1 year) publication date

(after 18 months)

file corresponding

applications abroad

12.08.2014



The Way to a Patent

examination

reply on exam.

report

grant of patent

opposition

revocation action

time line

3 months – 8 years + set period (4-6 months) grant date x grant date x + 9 months (DE, EP) anytime

12.08.2014



Priority [Zeitrang]

• = right on application date of a first patent application

• esp. for subsequent foreign applications

take priority date 1 year before

corresponding

applications abroad

02.11.2010

first application

time line

12.08.2014



Prior Art [Stand der Technik]

• prior art = all information that has been made available to the public in any form before the effective date of patent (application date / priority date)

time line

corresponding

applications abroadfirst application

product launch prior art document prior art document0

12.08.2014



Patent Family

DE

~

Priority

application

0 12 30 31 months ~ 6 years

PCT

~

Int.

application

DE

FR

GB

EP

US

JP

CN

time line

12.08.2014



Summary

• One product – many IPRs

• Similarities and differences of IPRs

• Where to get support for inventions/patents

Thank you, for your attention!

Questions?

12.08.2014



lesson 1 introduction to intellectual property...

Documents