Copied in a month
Ayesha designs a new phone case with a curved top. It sells well. A month later, a rival sells a case that looks the same.
Has the rival broken a law? It depends on how Ayesha protected her idea. There are three main ways.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can choose between an unregistered design, a registered design and a patent for a given idea.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Intellectual property | an idea or creation that belongs to someone |
| Design | how a product looks: its shape, lines, colour and texture |
| Registered | recorded with the official office, for a fee |
| Patent | a legal right to stop others making or selling your invention |
| Invention | a new product or method that solves a technical problem |
| Copyright | the automatic right over things you write or make |
| IPO | the Intellectual Property Office, which handles these rights in the UK |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Starter: last lesson
Have a go
Starter: last lesson
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
An unregistered design is automatic
An unregistered design right is yours as soon as you create the design. You do not apply or pay. It protects the shape of an object, for a limited time, about 10 to 15 years.
The weakness: it is hard to prove. You must show you made it first, and that the rival copied it.
A registered design is stronger proof
A registered design protects how a product looks, such as its shape, lines, colours and texture. You apply to the IPO and pay a fee. The design must be new.
Protection lasts up to 25 years, renewed every 5 years. A registration is a clear record, so it is much easier to prove.
Check: the two designs
Have a go
Check: the two designs
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.