HTP Graphics

Intellectual Property Section 1 UK Registered Designs can be registered with the Design Registry at the UK Intellectual Property Office. The registration process is not as expensive and does not take as long as for patents. UK registered designs can be used to protect more of the design than would be capable of UK unregistered design right protection. Surface decoration e.g. any etching, engraving or decoration on the scissors, can also be protected. To be registrable, the design must not have been previously disclosed to the public (unless during a 12 month 'grace period' immediately before the application for the design registration). The design must also have 'individual character'. This means that the design must not produce any notion of 'déjà vu'. Designs which are dictated solely by their function e.g. indentations on a plastic container to help with grip, will not be registrable. UK registered designs can last for 25 years. Community Registered Designs follow much the same criteria as for UK registered designs. They will also last for up to 25 years. Community Unregistered Design Rights arise automatically in the same way as UK unregistered design rights. However, they are slightly different. Community unregistered design rights only last for 3 years. The same criteria are applied as for UK and community registered designs i.e. the design must not have been previously disclosed and must have individual character. Surface decoration can also be protected. Database Rights Database Right protects a collection of independent works, data or other materials which have been systematically or methodically arranged. They must also be accessible by electronic or other means. This obviously covers electronic databases, but could in theory cover biological materials collections, for instance. Like copyright, there is no need to register, however, the protection only lasts for 15 years from when the database was compiled. 11

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