Intellectual property
Design & Manufacture · Higher · mrkellydt.co.uk
What you're learning in this topic
Learning intention WALT
We are learning about intellectual property, specifically to understand:
- the purpose of intellectual property rights
- copyright, design rights, patents and trademarks and what each protects
Success criteria WILF
- I can explain the purpose of intellectual property rights
- I can describe copyright, design rights, patents and trademarks and what each protects
Why protect IP HIGHER
Intellectual property is anything that results from creative work. Protection gives legal rights, lets the designer or company profit from their ideas and stops others copying them. Keep ideas secret while applying; ask manufacturers to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
Types of protection HIGHER
| Protection | Covers | How / how long |
|---|---|---|
| Copyright © | Literature, art, photography, music, film, software, web content | Automatic. Lasts 25–70 years after the creator's death. Mark with ©, name and year; keep dated proof. |
| Design right | Shape and configuration of an object | Automatic. 10 years after first sold or 15 years after creation, whichever is earlier. |
| Registered design ® | Appearance: shape, pattern, colour, packaging | Must apply. Up to 25 years, renewed every 5 years. |
| Trademark ™ / ® | Brand names, logos, words, jingles | ™ unregistered, ® once registered. Renewed every 10 years, can last forever. |
| Patent | New inventions: how they work, are made, what they are made of | Must apply; must be new and inventive. 20 years with annual renewal. "Patent pending" during application. Expensive. |
Exam link: which protection? HIGHER
- Brand name or logo: trademark.
- Shape or appearance: registered design or design right.
- Instructions, photos or software: copyright.
- A new working mechanism such as a hinge: patent.
- A secret recipe or formula: confidentiality agreement (NDA).
Key terms
| Patent | Protects a new invention (how it works/is made) for 20 years; must apply. |
|---|---|
| Copyright | Automatic protection for written, artistic, musical and software works. |
| Design right | Automatic protection for the shape of an object (10–15 years). |
| Registered design | Protects appearance; must apply; up to 25 years, renewed every 5. |
| Trademark | Protects brand names, logos and symbols; renewed every 10 years. |
| Patent pending | Can discuss the invention openly while the application is processed. |
Quick check
1. Which protects a new mechanism inside a product?
- Copyright
- Trademark
- Design right
- Patent
Show answer
2. Which protection is automatic?
- Copyright
- Registered design
- Patent
- Registered trademark
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3. A company logo is best protected by…
- Patent
- Trademark
- Copyright only
- Design right
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4. How long does a granted patent last (with renewals)?
- 5 years
- 10 years
- 20 years
- Forever
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Exam-style questions
1. Explain the purpose of intellectual property rights and describe two methods of protecting them. (4 marks)
Show marking guidance
- Purpose: legal protection so the designer/company can profit from the idea and stop copying (1)
- Patent: protects new inventions, 20 years, must apply (1-2)
- Trademark: protects logos/brand names, renewable (1-2)
- Copyright / registered design described also accepted
Printable worksheet
An I do, we do, you do worksheet for this topic, with a separate answer sheet.