Innovative Ideas
Patents
If you have invented something you will want to know whether you may patent it. Patents are a form of intellectual property right (IPR), available for inventions that are not already known.
To be patentable, your invention should be new and involve an "inventive step". The idea or invention must not have been made public anywhere in the world before the date you apply for patent protection.
A patent gives you a monopoly and stops others using the idea so it is a powerful right. Any patent application should be filed before you try to go to market, otherwise you risk losing the right to patent
To bring a concept to market a number of factors are relevant, apart from patenting.
Trademarks
Your business and its products will be known by a name. If competitors market products by a similar or identical name, your reputation may be damaged, and business may be diverted away.
Registering your business name as a trademark puts you in a better position to protect your business if someone else is causing confusion in the market. To prevent poor quality imitations tarnishing your reputation a trade mark is more effective than relying on passing off rights alone. Learn more about trade marks and the protection they offer.
Product design features, and packaging
If you consider the iPod, it’s easy to understand why the shape of a product, and its packaging or aesthetic features are no less important to its success.
Read more about design registration here.
Doing Business Online
A presence on the web is a staple aspect of modern business ventures, and represents a fantastic opportunity for inventors to find an available market for their products.
A number of important online branding considerations arise, such as choice of domain name, and keywords to use for search engine optimization.
What next?
If you need legal work please call us on +44 (0)20 7700 1414 or if you prefer send us an enquiry using the form below. Depending on your requirements we may suggest a free meeting. This is often the best way to assess whether we would be the right firm for you, and to understand the work involved, your priorities, attitude to risk, and desired timescales.
