TOPIC 2 :: Legal issues- Copywrites, trademark and patents:: MODULE 2. GET STARTED! TOPIC 2 :: Legal issues- Copywrites, trademark and patents::   This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained. therein

Legal issues: What do we mean by Copyrite, a Trademark and patent ? Copyrite is used to protect artwork, writing and or the intellectual property of any artistic form; In order to copyrite your work it must be tangible and fixed; Trademarks on the other hand are used to protect your names, symbols or logos, and slogans for your products and services; Trademarks are very important to a business as they allow the business to be distinctive from another company in the same market. An owner of a company has to register a trademark legally and this has to be renewed depending on where the company is based. Patents protect your inventions and designs; Typically there are 2 types of patent, an invention patent and design patent https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQsZf2G4Sdc

Trademarks A trademark is a sign capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one enterprise from those of other enterprises; Trademarks are very important to a business as they allow the business to be distinctive from another company in the same market. Your trade mark must be unique. It can include: words; sounds; logos; colours; a combination of any of these. An owner of a company has to register a trademark legally and this has to be renewed depending on where the company is base

Trademarks Continued Your trade mark cannot: be offensive, for example contain swear words or pornographic images describe the goods or services it will relate to, for example the word ‘cotton’ can’t be a trade mark for a cotton textile company be misleading, for example use the word ‘organic’ for goods that aren’t organic be a 3-dimensional shape associated with your trade mark, for example use the shape of an egg for eggs be too common and non-distinctive, for example be a simple statement like ‘we lead the way’ look too similar to state symbols like flags or hallmarks, based on World Intellectual Property Organization guidelines https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXzAR_2TO9o

Copyrite Copyright protects your work and stops others from using it without your permission. You get copyright protection automatically - you don’t have to apply or pay a fee. You automatically get copyright protection when you create: original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic work, including illustration and photography original non-literary written work, such as software, web content and databases sound and music recordings film and television recordings Broadcasts the layout of published editions of written, dramatic and musical works You can mark your work with the copyright symbol (©), your name and the year of creation. Whether you mark the work or not doesn’t affect the level of protection you have.

Copyrite Continued Copyright protection starts as soon as a work is created. Once your copyright has expired, anyone can use or copy your work. The length of copyright depends on the type of work. Type of work How long copyright usually lasts Written, dramatic, musical and artistic work 70 years after the author’s death Sound and music recording 70 years from when it’s first published Films 70 years after the death of the director, screenplay author and composer Broadcasts 50 years from when it’s first broadcast Layout of published editions of written, dramatic or musical works 25 years from when it’s first published https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qc8YXIg82Q0

Patents are expensive and difficult to get. You can use a patent to protect your invention. It gives you the right to take legal action against anyone who makes, uses, sells or imports it without your permission. To be granted a patent, your invention must be all of the following: something that can be made or used new Inventive - not just a simple modification to something that already exists Patents are expensive and difficult to get. For more information about whether you will need a patent please go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sCMwbNuWqA