Protecting your business idea or invention (called your 'Intellectual Property')
What is Intellectual Property?
Intellectual property (IP) is any form of original creation that can be bought or sold - from music to machinery.
Why protecting yourself is important
It's important to protect all your business assets, but particularly your intellectual property because it's fundamental to your business offering.
If any other business or individual tries to copy anything you have protected, or use it without your permission, it is an infringement of your IP. Any infringement can quickly destroy your market position and reputation as well as goodwill built up with existing clients. So it makes sense to have enough deterrents in place.
What are you protecting yourself against
By protecting your IP, you're ensuring:
- Your idea is not used, sold or manufactured by anyone else
- No-one uses your trade mark without your permission
- No-one can copy or mimick your brand identity, this includes words, logos and other signs
- Your work is not copied or reproduced in communication or performance
The different types of IP protection
There are 4 main types of IP protection:
- Patents, which protect the processes that make things work
- Trade marks, which protect distinguishing logos for goods and services
- Designs, which protect the look of three-dimensional shapes
- Copyright, which protects material that is either written down or recorded
Different timescales apply depending on the type of protection required. More info on each type of protection and the application process are available in this
handy booklet on IP Protection from the Intellectual Property Office
The Intellectual Property Office is the official government body
responsible for granting Intellectual Property (IP) rights in the United
Kingdom.
What happens if someone uses your IP
Like other forms of property, you can buy, sell, and license IP, so you could use this to your advantage.
However if someone uses your IP without getting direct permission from you it's an infringement on your rights as the owner. Once you're aware of any infringement you should try and resolve the situation between yourself and the other party involved. If this is not possible you'll need to take legal advice. If the infringement relates to counterfeiting or piracy contact your local Trading Standards office.
How to protect and exploit your intellectual assets
The IP Office has an
online IP Health Check tool, broken down into the four IP elements covering patents, trade marks, designs and copyright, as well as advice on Licensing Intellectual Property and managing Confidential Information.
Protecting your business idea or invention (called your 'Intellectual Property')
What is Intellectual Property?
Intellectual property (IP) is any form of original creation that can be bought or sold - from music to machinery.
Why protecting yourself is important
It's important to protect all your business assets, but particularly your intellectual property because it's fundamental to your business offering.
If any other business or individual tries to copy anything you have protected, or use it without your permission, it is an infringement of your IP. Any infringement can quickly destroy your market position and reputation as well as goodwill built up with existing clients. So it makes sense to have enough deterrents in place.
What are you protecting yourself against
By protecting your IP, you're ensuring:
- Your idea is not used, sold or manufactured by anyone else
- No-one uses your trade mark without your permission
- No-one can copy or mimick your brand identity, this includes words, logos and other signs
- Your work is not copied or reproduced in communication or performance
The different types of IP protection
There are 4 main types of IP protection:
- Patents, which protect the processes that make things work
- Trade marks, which protect distinguishing logos for goods and services
- Designs, which protect the look of three-dimensional shapes
- Copyright, which protects material that is either written down or recorded
Different timescales apply depending on the type of protection required. More info on each type of protection and the application process are available in this
handy booklet on IP Protection from the Intellectual Property Office
The Intellectual Property Office is the official government body
responsible for granting Intellectual Property (IP) rights in the United
Kingdom.
What happens if someone uses your IP
Like other forms of property, you can buy, sell, and license IP, so you could use this to your advantage.
However if someone uses your IP without getting direct permission from you it's an infringement on your rights as the owner. Once you're aware of any infringement you should try and resolve the situation between yourself and the other party involved. If this is not possible you'll need to take legal advice. If the infringement relates to counterfeiting or piracy contact your local Trading Standards office.
How to protect and exploit your intellectual assets
The IP Office has an
online IP Health Check tool, broken down into the four IP elements covering patents, trade marks, designs and copyright, as well as advice on Licensing Intellectual Property and managing Confidential Information.