INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
Intellectual property rights are created by the efforts of designers, authors, inventors, and innovators. In a world of accelerating technological advancement, and reliance on new ideas and clever thinking, the creation, protection and exploitation of IP is increasingly becoming critical to successful business enterprise.
TRADE MARKS
Brands and logos have proven to be valuable IP assets for businesses. A trade mark can establish and enhance the reputation of a business, and provide a sign of quality and trust. When trade marks become easily recognisable and associated with a business, they add value and build customer loyalty.
PATENT PROTECTION
Inventors and IP investors should be rewarded for developing new and creative technologies and innovations in science and industry, and especially from R&D, ingenuity, effort and creativity. Protecting your creative design efforts and inventive concepts with patent rights makes good sense. If commercialisation of your valuable innovations is required, we can work alongside you with a tailored IP strategy to build your IP portfolio.
DESIGNS
Industrial designers can protect original creative work in New Zealand and Australia with design registrations. Given the high value of stylish forms and features of devices and products in a rapidly changing market, and reliance on creative packaging to sell otherwise plain looking products, keeping a competitive edge with protecting valuable designs is highly regarded.
COPYRIGHT
Graphic designers, software developers, industrial engineers, artists and performers, and authors of scientific and literary work are some of the creators of valuable copyright work. As very few copyright registers exist, and given that copyright exists upon creation of the work, a huge and unmanageable amount of IP exists which is difficult to protect or prove with exclusive rights, yet if copyright offers ownership rights, this is what authors and creators expect they have achieved.
CRITICAL IP ISSUES
Confidentiality
It is essential that an invention or design is not publicly disclosed until suitable protection is filed. Disclosure is by publishing, including on a webpage, email or technical brief, demonstrating or displaying, offering for sale or receiving orders to sell units employing a new invention or design. Disclosure prior to filing may reduce the scope of protection that may otherwise be available, or simply prevent a valid patent or design registration from being obtained.
COMMERICALISING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Once intellectual property is secured by way of an application or registration, the next step is to exploit the exclusive rights in the product or innovation by way of commercialisation of the IP. Employing a sound business IP strategy from the start can make the process flow smoothly, and achieve the outcomes desired.