LPC NOTES
[INTERNATIONAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW]
(2019-2020)
, ITERNATIONAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW
Contents
Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 3
Copyright and Data Protection ........................................................................................................... 8
Database Right .................................................................................................................................. 17
Trade Marks ...................................................................................................................................... 20
Passing Off ........................................................................................................................................ 28
Design Rights ..................................................................................................................................... 31
Patents .............................................................................................................................................. 36
Breach of Confidence ........................................................................................................................ 41
Competition ...................................................................................................................................... 43
Test and Feedback Exercises ................................................................................................................. 48
Test and Feedback Workshop 1 ........................................................................................................ 48
Test and Feedback Workshop 2 ........................................................................................................ 52
Test and Feedback Workshop 3 ........................................................................................................ 57
Test and Feedback Workshop 4 ........................................................................................................ 66
Test and Feedback Workshop 5 ........................................................................................................ 72
Test and Feedback Workshop 6 ........................................................................................................ 76
Test and Feedback Workshop 7 ........................................................................................................ 80
Test and Feedback Workshop 8 ........................................................................................................ 83
,Overview
Basic concept of intellectual property is to protect the products, results and rewards of the exercise
of human intellectual and commercial endeavour. Legal right to stop others using the owner’s
property without permission, and to give a monopoly right to exploit that property commercially.
Have to be careful about what things you can protect as ideas etc in some respect belong to
humanity in common.
Different forms of protection:
• Protection of business reputation – business exists to make profits and the surest way is to
become known and identified as a reliable and reputable supplier of goods. Have to protect
the identity of the mark of an organisation. TRADE MARKS AND PASSING OFF
• Creative expression – tangible results of creative talents, and stopping others from making
free use of those results. COPYRIGHT AND DATABASE PROTECTION
• Designs for shapes and appearances of objects that are intended to be created to that
design, typically by way of manufacture. DESIGN RIGHTS AND UDR
• Inventive – allows someone who has invented something to exploit the commercial
possibilities of their invention for a limited time.
They aim to:
1. Protect those who create and think,
2. Allows public to benefit and develop from inventive + creative steps
3. Encourages and stimulates business growth and entrepreneurial spirit,
4. Prevents free for all of other’s property
Types of IP
1. Trademarks – brand name or other mark of trade origin
Highly commercial right
Protected by registration
Gives the owner stat rights under Trade Marks Act 1994
Registration can be renewed indefinitely, provided the TM does not run foul of restrictions
under the act
Most countries have a similar system
If a trademark is not registered it can only be protected by passing off, except in US where
statute expressly provides protection for unreg TMs
2. Passing off – common law tort enabling a business to defend itself from someone who is
trying to take unfair advantage of the trading reputation of that business
Less important than TM law, and has less certain outcomes, also diminished by the increased
scope of DR
Can often complement TMs as the scope can reach further
3. Copyright – right to prevent copying of creative expression, such as writing, art, music,
architecture, film and even computer software
Unregistered system, and for an infringement to occur there must have been ‘copying’
It is the principle IP right in computer programmes and therefore very important today
The right is not register able and comes into force when the work is first created
, All major jurisdictions are signatories to the Berne Convention which protects copyrighted
works internationally
4. Database rights -
5. Designs – designs that relate to the appearance of an object can be registered, but ones that
relate solely to its technical function (how it works) cannot.
Registration gives protection for up to 25 years
6. Also statutory unregistered design right protecting features of shape or configuration which
are intended to be made available commercially. This protection can extend for between 10
and 15 years
In the US, design right is restricted to the non-functional appearance of the goods
7. Patents – commercial IP right
Registered right, administered by the Patents Office, protecting inventions
Patent gives the holder a monopoly of 20 years over the technology revealed in the patent
Description of the invention is made public in return for a grant by the Crown of a period of
protection, then after the 20 year period it is public property
Idea is that inventors get to exploit it for this time as it makes it worth their while investing
time and money into creation, and helps public
Virtually all countries have a very
similar system
US Patent Act gives a negative right,
that excludes others from practising
the invention
Protection internationally is given by
Patent Cooperation Treaty
Patent licence will often be
accompanied by a know-how licence,
to give licensee the best chance of
using the patent most efficiently
8. Confidential information – law of
confidence no IP right as such
Case law governs this
US has case law and adoption in each
state of a version of Model Law known
as Uniform Trade Secrets Act
[INTERNATIONAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW]
(2019-2020)
, ITERNATIONAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW
Contents
Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 3
Copyright and Data Protection ........................................................................................................... 8
Database Right .................................................................................................................................. 17
Trade Marks ...................................................................................................................................... 20
Passing Off ........................................................................................................................................ 28
Design Rights ..................................................................................................................................... 31
Patents .............................................................................................................................................. 36
Breach of Confidence ........................................................................................................................ 41
Competition ...................................................................................................................................... 43
Test and Feedback Exercises ................................................................................................................. 48
Test and Feedback Workshop 1 ........................................................................................................ 48
Test and Feedback Workshop 2 ........................................................................................................ 52
Test and Feedback Workshop 3 ........................................................................................................ 57
Test and Feedback Workshop 4 ........................................................................................................ 66
Test and Feedback Workshop 5 ........................................................................................................ 72
Test and Feedback Workshop 6 ........................................................................................................ 76
Test and Feedback Workshop 7 ........................................................................................................ 80
Test and Feedback Workshop 8 ........................................................................................................ 83
,Overview
Basic concept of intellectual property is to protect the products, results and rewards of the exercise
of human intellectual and commercial endeavour. Legal right to stop others using the owner’s
property without permission, and to give a monopoly right to exploit that property commercially.
Have to be careful about what things you can protect as ideas etc in some respect belong to
humanity in common.
Different forms of protection:
• Protection of business reputation – business exists to make profits and the surest way is to
become known and identified as a reliable and reputable supplier of goods. Have to protect
the identity of the mark of an organisation. TRADE MARKS AND PASSING OFF
• Creative expression – tangible results of creative talents, and stopping others from making
free use of those results. COPYRIGHT AND DATABASE PROTECTION
• Designs for shapes and appearances of objects that are intended to be created to that
design, typically by way of manufacture. DESIGN RIGHTS AND UDR
• Inventive – allows someone who has invented something to exploit the commercial
possibilities of their invention for a limited time.
They aim to:
1. Protect those who create and think,
2. Allows public to benefit and develop from inventive + creative steps
3. Encourages and stimulates business growth and entrepreneurial spirit,
4. Prevents free for all of other’s property
Types of IP
1. Trademarks – brand name or other mark of trade origin
Highly commercial right
Protected by registration
Gives the owner stat rights under Trade Marks Act 1994
Registration can be renewed indefinitely, provided the TM does not run foul of restrictions
under the act
Most countries have a similar system
If a trademark is not registered it can only be protected by passing off, except in US where
statute expressly provides protection for unreg TMs
2. Passing off – common law tort enabling a business to defend itself from someone who is
trying to take unfair advantage of the trading reputation of that business
Less important than TM law, and has less certain outcomes, also diminished by the increased
scope of DR
Can often complement TMs as the scope can reach further
3. Copyright – right to prevent copying of creative expression, such as writing, art, music,
architecture, film and even computer software
Unregistered system, and for an infringement to occur there must have been ‘copying’
It is the principle IP right in computer programmes and therefore very important today
The right is not register able and comes into force when the work is first created
, All major jurisdictions are signatories to the Berne Convention which protects copyrighted
works internationally
4. Database rights -
5. Designs – designs that relate to the appearance of an object can be registered, but ones that
relate solely to its technical function (how it works) cannot.
Registration gives protection for up to 25 years
6. Also statutory unregistered design right protecting features of shape or configuration which
are intended to be made available commercially. This protection can extend for between 10
and 15 years
In the US, design right is restricted to the non-functional appearance of the goods
7. Patents – commercial IP right
Registered right, administered by the Patents Office, protecting inventions
Patent gives the holder a monopoly of 20 years over the technology revealed in the patent
Description of the invention is made public in return for a grant by the Crown of a period of
protection, then after the 20 year period it is public property
Idea is that inventors get to exploit it for this time as it makes it worth their while investing
time and money into creation, and helps public
Virtually all countries have a very
similar system
US Patent Act gives a negative right,
that excludes others from practising
the invention
Protection internationally is given by
Patent Cooperation Treaty
Patent licence will often be
accompanied by a know-how licence,
to give licensee the best chance of
using the patent most efficiently
8. Confidential information – law of
confidence no IP right as such
Case law governs this
US has case law and adoption in each
state of a version of Model Law known
as Uniform Trade Secrets Act
