Protecting your ideas is paramount when developing an invention or design
IP consists of four main areas: copyright, trademarks, patents and registered designs.
By knowing and understanding your Intellectual Property rights you can ensure that you are safeguarding your creativity effectively. Businesses of any size can be at risk of IP infringement, therefore ensuring you have the right form of protection is worth the time and effort, and it’s easier than you think!
Visit us today or book a one-to-one appointment to discuss your Intellectual Property needs, find information and signpost you to your next move.
Ways we can help...
1-2-1 Appointments
With Business & IP Centre Devon Need an overview of intellectual property, and how it can work for your business? Trying to work out how the trademarking process works, or what copyright actually covers? We
Copyright
Copyright protects a wide range of creative works – literary, artistic and musical, as well as most recordings and broadcasts, and most software. It protects you from other people copying your work, or using your
Trade Marks
Trade marks protect your brand – examples could include your trading name, the name of your products or services, or your logo. By taking out a trade mark, you can ensure you’re free to use
Patents
Patents protect inventions – how things work. They can add real long-term value to your business, enabling you to protect your inventions, or licence them out for others to use. Taking out a patent is
Designs
Registered Designs protect the appearance of your product – this could be the shape or configuration of your product, or surface decoration and patterns. Registering your design gives you added protection from anyone using or
Further Help
Here you’ll find a wealth of resources to help build your understanding of intellectual property and how you can protect the IP in your business. And don’t forget you can get individual help through our
Intellectual Property & Contracts for Creatives
Our Five Minute Introductions to Intellectual Property & Copyright for Creative Industries
Getting Started
The IPO has produced a series of handy guides as part of their IP Health Check initiative.
Licensing Intellectual Property
Agreeing a price for Intellectual Property rights
If you are conducting business overseas take a look at the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation) website.