How Much Do You Know About Intellectual Property Law?

Registered designs protect the intellectual property created by designers. This means that any unique designs or patterns created by designers can be legally protected from being copied or used without permission. Registered designs provide exclusive rights to the designer, allowing them to control the use and reproduction of their designs, preventing others from profiting from their creativity without authorization.

Trademarks consist of logos, names, and brands. A trademark is a distinctive symbol, word, phrase, design, or combination thereof that identifies and distinguishes the source of goods or services. Logos are visual representations used to identify a company or product. Names refer to the specific names of companies or products. Brands encompass the overall image, reputation, and perception of a company or product. Therefore, trademarks can include all of these elements to protect and differentiate a company's goods or services from others in the market.

WIPO stands for World Intellectual Property Organization. This organization is responsible for promoting and protecting intellectual property rights worldwide. It provides a platform for countries to cooperate and develop international legal frameworks for intellectual property protection. WIPO works towards encouraging innovation and creativity by ensuring that intellectual property rights are respected and enforced globally.

Intellectual property created by artists is protected by copyright. Copyright law grants creators exclusive rights to their original works, such as paintings, music, literature, and films. This protection ensures that artists have control over the use and distribution of their creations, allowing them to profit from their work and prevent others from copying or using it without permission. Trademarks, patents, and logos are different forms of intellectual property protection that apply to specific types of creations or inventions, but in the case of artists, copyright is the most relevant form of protection.

Patents are a form of legal protection granted to inventors for their intellectual property. They provide exclusive rights to the inventor for a limited period, preventing others from making, using, or selling their invention without permission. Patents are specifically designed to protect new and innovative inventions, including processes, machines, compositions of matter, and improvements thereof. Therefore, patents are the correct form of protection for intellectual property created by inventors.

A patent usually lasts for 20 years. This duration provides the patent holder with exclusive rights to their invention, preventing others from making, using, or selling the patented invention without permission. After the 20-year period, the invention enters the public domain, allowing others to use and benefit from it freely. This time frame allows inventors to have a monopoly on their invention for a significant period, encouraging innovation and providing an incentive for inventors to disclose and share their inventions with the public.

A copyright usually lasts for a period of 50 years. This means that the creator of a work has exclusive rights to it for 50 years, during which they have the authority to reproduce, distribute, and display their work. After this time period, the work enters the public domain and can be used by anyone without permission or payment.

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protect commercial ideas and information. This means that IPR safeguards inventions, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets that have commercial value. It ensures that individuals or organizations have exclusive rights to their creations, allowing them to profit from their innovations and prevent others from using or copying them without permission. While ethics, morality, and intelligence are important concepts, they are not specifically protected by IPR.

The Intellectual Property Act in the United Kingdom received Royal Assent on 14 May 2014. It was introduced on 9 May 2013. The purpose of the legislation was to update copyright law, in particular design and patent law

The World Trade Organization (WTO) came into existence in 1995. This international organization was established to promote and regulate global trade among nations. It replaced the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and expanded its scope to cover various sectors such as agriculture, services, and intellectual property. The creation of the WTO aimed to provide a platform for member countries to negotiate trade agreements, resolve disputes, and ensure a fair and transparent trading system worldwide.