Innovation in Action

When you invent something new, it becomes your ‘intellectual property’ (IP). However, to stop other people from making, using or selling your invention, you may need to protect it with a patent.

What is a patent?

A patent is a form of legal protection for new inventions, covering how things work, what they do, how they do it, what they are made of and how they are made.

It means that for a limited period (usually 20 years) you and you alone can make, use and sell or license your invention in the UK.

There are three other main types of IP:

• Copyright – protects material such as literature, art, music, sound recordings, films and broadcasts.
  E.g. the songs of Robbie Williams
• Designs – protect the visual appearance or ‘eye appeal’ of products and processes.
  E.g. a Bratz^™ doll
• Trade marks – protect signs that distinguish the goods and services of one trader from those of another.
  E.g. the ‘golden arches’ of McDonalds^®

These rights are granted by the UK Intellectual Property Office (UK-IPO) and are enforceable in a court of law.