Patents, Registered Designs, Trade Marks & Copyright For Dummies®	1
	About the Authors	5
	Dedication	7
	Authors’ Acknowledgements	7
	Contents at a Glance	9
	Table of Contents	11
	Forewords	21
	Introduction	23
	About This Book	23
	Conventions Used in This Book	24
	Foolish Assumptions	25
	How This Book Is Organised	25
	Icons Used in This Book	27
	Where to Go from Here	28
	Part I: Covering Your Assets: Intellectual Property Basics	29
	Chapter 1: Examining the Tools in Your IP Box	31
	Buying into Intellectual Property	31
	Exploring the Patent Process	33
	Considering Copyright	35
	Claiming Your Identity: Trade Marks and Other Commercial Handles	36
	Keeping Quiet: Trade Secrets	38
	Putting Things in Writing: Looking at Contractual IP Rights	38
	Putting Your IP to Work at Home and Abroad	39
	Chapter 2: Protecting Your Intellectual Property	41
	Examining Your Motives	41
	Implementing an IP Programme	43
	Chapter 3: Dealing with Professionals and Picking Up the Tab	53
	Getting the Help You Need	53
	Finding and Retaining an IP Attorney	56
	Staying Within Your Meagre Means	58
	Working with Foreign IP Professionals	61
	Co-ordinating with Other Professionals	61
	Part II: Patenting Your Product	63
	Chapter 4: Understanding Patents and How They Work	65
	Presenting a Patent Explanation	65
	Checking Out the Mechanics: Specifications, Claims, Drawings, and Abstracts	69
	Playing by the Rules: The Four-Part Patentability Test	70
	Chapter 5: Testing the Water Before You Apply for a Patent	75
	Assessing What You Have	75
	Making Sure that a Patent Is Right for You	78
	Starting Things Off on the Right Foot	82
	Chapter 6: Conducting a Patent Search	83
	Deciding Whether to Search or Not to Search	84
	Conducting a Novelty Search	86
	Looking at Other Patent Searches	93
	Chapter 7: Preparing Your Patent Application	95
	Knowing Who Can Apply for a Patent	95
	Understanding the Patent Application	97
	Choosing a Representative	98
	Filing a Patent Application	100
	Disclosing Your Invention in the Specification	110
	Arguing Your Case for Patentability	111
	Staking Your Claim	112
	Actively Participating in Application Preparation	117
	Chapter 8: Filing Your Patent Application	121
	Packaging the Application	122
	Meeting Your Filing Deadlines	124
	Keeping Your Application Under Wraps	126
	Exploring Equivalent Applications Abroad	127
	Counting the Costs of Filing	130
	Making Money and Taking Precautions While You Wait for Your Patent	132
	Chapter 9: Prosecuting Your Patent Application	135
	Touring the UK-IPO	136
	Clearing Initial Administrative Hurdles	137
	Filing for More than One Invention	139
	Getting in on the Action: The Official Letter	140
	Reacting to a Second Objection	150
	Meeting the Examiner	151
	Chapter 10: Entering the Home Stretch: Getting Your Patent Granted	153
	Reviewing Your Patent Strategy One Last Time	153
	Taking Corrective Action	154
	Paying Maintenance Fees	157
	Marking Your Widgets with the Patent Number	159
	Part III: Knowing Your Copyright	161
	Chapter 11: Protecting Your Designs	163
	Understanding UK Registered Design	164
	Filing Your UK Registered Design Application	166
	Reviewing Registered Community Design	170
	Qualifying for Design Right	173
	Chapter 12: Entering the Whimsical World of Copyright	175
	Getting to Know Copyright	175
	Defining an Original Work of Authorship	176
	Determining What May and May Not Be Protected by Copyright	180
	Discovering the Scope of Copyright Protection	182
	Working Out What Copyright Can Do for You	184
	Chapter 13: Untangling Ownership Issues	191
	Staking a Claim: Making Sure That You Own the Copyright	192
	Changing Owners: Transferring Interest in a Copyright	196
	Investigating the Status of a Copyright	196
	Part IV: Making Your Mark: Protecting Your Brand Identity	199
	Chapter 14: Solving Your Identity Crisis	201
	Hitting the Right Mark: Taking a Trade Mark Inventory	201
	Putting Trade Marks to Work	205
	Testing the Legal Strength of Trade Marks	209
	Chapter 15: Creating the Next Household Name	215
	Marketing Muscle: The Components of Good Trade Marks	216
	Trying the Tricks of the Trade	219
	Avoiding the Deadly Branding Sins	222
	Chapter 16: Conducting an Availability Search	227
	Practising Prudence	227
	Defining the Scope of Your Search	229
	Carrying Out Your Search	232
	Analysing the Results	235
	Chapter 17: Establishing and Registering Your Trade Marks	241
	Gaining Exclusive Rights to Your Trade Mark or Service Mark	242
	Registering Your Mark	242
	Filing Your Trade or Service Mark Application	247
	Losing Your Trade Mark Registration	253
	Part V: Exploiting and Enforcing Your IP Rights	255
	Chapter 18: All Abroad: Protecting Your IP Rights in Other Countries	257
	Pondering the Pros and Cons of International Patents	257
	Playing by the Rules of Foreign Patents	260
	Working Out Where to File Your Patent Application	262
	Filing for Design Protection Abroad	270
	Looking After Your Trade Mark Abroad	271
	Considering Copyright Overseas	272
	Chapter 19: Making ’em Pay: Licensing Your IP Rights	273
	Considering Different Types of Licence	273
	Inspecting the Basic Elements of a Licence	276
	Assigning Rather Than Licensing	280
	Adopting a Licensing Strategy	283
	Making Beautiful Music	284
	Chapter 20: Nailing the Bad Guys (The Infringers)	287
	Determining Infringement	287
	Stopping Infringement Cold	290
	Part VI: The Part of Tens	297
	Chapter 21: Ten Patent Application Pitfalls	299
	Choosing Patent Protection When Other Methods Fit the Bill	299
	Concealing the Past	299
	Disclosing Too Little	300
	Disclosing Too Much	300
	Filing When You Haven’t Got the Cash	300
	Giving It Away	301
	Going It Alone	301
	Naming a Non-Inventor	302
	Publish and Be Damned	302
	Don’t Rush It	302
	Chapter 22: Ten Common Copyright Questions	303
	Can I Copy a Page from a Book and Give the Copies to My Students?	303
	Can I Copyright My Campaign Slogan for the Next Election?	303
	Can I Protect Software with a Patent?	304
	Can I Use a Popular Song in a Video Clip of My Dog to Send to a TV Show?	304
	Can I Use Graphics Copied from a Magazine for My Web Site?	304
	How Do I Copyright My Idea for a TV Show?	305
	How Do I Register Copyright for My Children’s Story?	305
	How Much of a Copyrighted Work Can I Copy Without Infringing the Copyright?	305
	How Long Does Copyright Last?	305
	Where Can I Get Permission to Copy a Protected Work?	306
	Chapter 23: Ten Naming Blunders to Avoid	307
	Choosing Availability over Exclusivity	307
	Creating Technical Jargon	307
	Describing Your Product or Service	308
	Having Brainstorming Sessions	308
	Holding a Naming Contest	308
	Ignoring the Customer	308
	Leaving Your Mark Unprotected	309
	Mimicking Another Company’s Brand	309
	Relying on the Logo	309
	Using Your Family Name	309
	Chapter 24: Ten Great IP Resources	311
	UK Intellectual Property Office (UK-IPO)	311
	World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)	311
	EU Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM)	312
	British Library Business and Intellectual Property Centre	312
	Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT)	312
	Patent Information Centres (PATLIBS UK)	312
	Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR)	313
	Useful Books	313
	Networking and Lobbying	314
	Getting Legal Help	314
	Appendix: Sample Patent Applications	315
	Index	329