IP Law: General Overview Lesson 1

Legal rights that protect creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary or artistic works, and symbols used to identify goods or services.

IPRs are not about the physical object itself, but about the idea or concept behind it.

IPRs are usually obtained through registration, with some exceptions, and they have a limited duration.

Common law traditions, including those in the US, use 'Intellectual Property' as a broad term, encompassing both 'Industrial Property' and 'Copyright'.

Civil Law traditions, including those in Continental Europe, separate 'Industrial Property' (patents, trademarks, designs) from 'Intellectual Property', which is only used for 'authors' rights' and 'connected rights'.

A sign that visually distinguishes one company's goods or services from another's.

The ability to be recognized and stand out from other similar signs.

An invention that solves a technical problem, granting the inventor exclusive rights to produce, use, and sell it for a limited time.

A legal right to prevent others from using the external appearance of a product for a set period.

The process of having an invention reviewed and officially recognized.

The principle that IPRs only apply within the borders of the country where they were registered, meaning you need to register them in each country you want protection in.

The principle that IPRs are independent of each other, meaning that obtaining one type of IPR doesn't automatically grant you protection for another.

An international agreement that sets basic standards for IPR protection, granting national treatment to foreign inventors, as well as a right of priority for patent, trademark, and design applications.

A WTO agreement that ensures basic levels of intellectual property protection for all member countries, including minimum standards for patents, trademarks, designs, and copyrights.

A type of international agreement that focuses on specific IPRs, such as trademarks or patents, and allows for a single application to obtain protection in multiple countries.

The "free-ride" problem is a situation where someone benefits from the work of others without contributing themselves.

IPRs are enforced to encourage investment in new creations by protecting the creator's legal rights and ensuring fair compensation for their work.

IPRs, like patents and trademarks, protect distinctive signs and inventions, while copyrights and related rights safeguard artistic and literary works.

Authors' rights, also known as copyright, cover creations like novels, movies, music, and paintings.

Connected rights are rights of those involved in executing or interpreting works, such as performers, producers of recordings, and broadcasters.

Industrial property encompasses trademarks, trade names, indications of origin, and inventions like patents and utility models.

Industrial designs protect the aesthetic features of products, while plant variety rights protect the distinct characteristics of new plant varieties.

Trademarks are distinctive signs used to identify and differentiate goods and services. They can be words, symbols, or logos.

An international agreement that allows inventors to file a single patent application to protect their invention in multiple countries.

This agreement allows creators to apply for registration of a trademark in multiple countries by filing a single application.

A treaty that seeks to simplify and harmonize patent procedures across countries and facilitate the recognition of patents granted in other countries.

This agreement provides a system for classifying goods and services for trademark registration purposes, making it easier to determine if a trademark is already registered.

Used to classify industrial designs, making it possible to identify similar or competing designs around the world.

This agreement allows for the international registration of industrial designs through a single application, simplifying the process for designers seeking protection in multiple countries.

This agreement establishes a system for classifying patents, allowing for easier retrieval and comparison of patent information.

An agreement that aims to protect geographical indications (GIs), which are signs used on goods that originate from a specific geographical region.