Understanding the Crucial Role of Intellectual Property in E-Commerce

Understanding the Crucial Role of Intellectual Property in E-Commerce

In E-Commerce, Intellectual Property (IP), is indeed the most neglected yet the highest value bearing component. The real reason behind the same lies in the fact that the crucial role of IP in E-Commerce is either less understood or not apparent.

The Intellectual Property Laws and practices protect the unique works and creations of the owners from unauthorized use and unfair competition. Therefore, it would be wise enough to admit the fact that IP is an asset with worth way more than the tangible assets. Without adequate IP laws and practices, hard work can easily be stolen and spread around the world, that too, without paying the creator for his or her effort and labor. When it comes to E-Commerce, technical security measures are necessary to deter the less proficient thieves, and strict IP laws are necessary to handle the crimes, which may include cases of Intellectual Property Infringement.

The two primary concerns that should be there in your mind if your business operates in the E-Commerce industry are as follows:

  1. Protecting your IP Assets

A pretty common mistake is disclosing your unique creations and innovations before completing the entire registration process (be it Trademark Registration, Patent Registration, and so on) to obtain protection for them. Hence, it is always highly advisable to consult a legal advisor or get in touch with an Intellectual Property Law Firm before disclosing anything corresponding to your unique assets.

  1. Not Infringing Upon Someone Else’s IP Assets

Your E-Commerce platform must be having a lot of product images and descriptions. In this scenario, you must own all the legal rights corresponding to publishing those images and descriptions. The videos, logos, icons, sound effects, clip art, and background music undoubtedly make your E-Commerce platform way more engaging and visually attractive; however, once again, you must have all the concerned legal rights for using them well in place.

Many people across the globe believe that every single thing available on the internet is free for use. Most of them usually get away with such IP violations as well, which, in turn, makes us believe that we can do the same too.  The truth of the situation is that when you run a small business, you might be able to fly under the radar; however, as and when your business grows, your IP violations shall become more visible. Therefore, every individual must take all the IP related issues seriously. All the E-Commerce platform owners must ensure that the content present on their website is in the public domain and covered under fair use. The owners must also have all the required permissions with them.

IP isn’t Limited to the Content Available on the E-Commerce Platform

There may be a few cases where you might think that the fake products on your platform are the headache of the supplier. However, as a retailer, even you can fall into trouble if you fail to take all the adequate measures. You must ensure that the supplier is authorized to supply in the first place, and your platform sells branded and authentic products at all times.

Performing IP Audits and Documenting Legal Agreements

E-commerce platform owners and managers must perform regular audits of all their IP assets and maintain an intellectual property portfolio consisting of website designs, descriptions of unique products, images, videos, artwork, and new processes developed for all the services, to name a few. They should also document all the non-disclosure agreements and other contracts to ensure the utmost protection of their unique works and creations. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

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5 Essential Things Photographers Must Know About Copyright

5 Essential Things Photographers Must Know About Copyright

Have you taken a photograph? Then under Copyright Law of many countries, you own the copyright to that photo. This law is something that affects not just photographers but also those who want to use photos taken or created by someone else. With the ease of taking and sharing images, the concerns related to their unauthorized use have increased much. Hence, comprehending legal rights associated with the photographers and their photographs is more crucial than ever. Let’s have a look at five vital things everyone should know about copyright in photographs.

  1. Copyright is Automatic

If you take a photo, then you automatically become its owner according to the provisions provided in the copyright law of the US and several other nations. As it is automatic and immediate, you needn’t file or publish anything to establish or own your copyright. However, going for Copyright Registration of your photograph is recommended due to several reasons, but it’s not mandatory.

  1. Use of the Copyright Symbol Isn’t Mandatory

Using the copyright symbol on your images at the time you publish them is a good idea. It is a reminder to the viewers that the specific image is protected as your copyright. In other words, it’s a smart step to secure your work from being infringed by those who mistakenly believe that photos without a copyright symbol are available for free use. However, the copyright law of most countries is clear that using the copyright symbol isn’t required to protect your photos. The law states that one’s images belong to him/ her regardless of whether he/ she put the symbol when publishing them or not.

  1. Registering Your Photos With Relevant Copyright Office Offers Additional Protection

Registering your photo with Copyright Office bestows you with extra protection in the Copyright Infringement case. It limits your case to actual damages, i.e., the amount of money that the violation costs you as opposed to statutory damages, i.e., damages valued by the law based on the type of infringement. Since the actual damages are often very difficult to prove and can be very limited in some cases, the ability to obtain statutory damages is a remarkable reason to register your copyright whenever you come up with new and useful work.

  1. It’s Possible to Allow Others to Use Your Photo Without Giving Up the Copyright

You, as a copyright owner, possess the right to license your photo to another party. Copyright licensing refers to a way of permitting someone to use your photo without affecting its ownership. Copyright License Agreements can vary based on the control over the image you want to grant to others. You can grant the right to use your photo for specific purposes for a specific time or broad usage. Besides how you plan to license your photo, you can allow the party to use the same without giving up your ownership. Hence, if someone asks for permission to use your photo, ensure understanding what rights you are granting, along with whether those rights relate to licensed use or copyright.

  1. Use of Photos Doesn’t Always Mean Infringement of Owner’s Copyright

Although the law provides the owner with exclusive rights to reproduce, display, share and distribute his/ her work, there are a few legal provisions under which someone can use a copyrighted photo even without obtaining permission from the original owner. For instance, quoting a portion of any written work or sharing a photo for purposes like educational, reporting, legislative, etc., can be allowed under ‘fair use.’ Nevertheless, fair use is limited in scope, and therefore, most cases where someone uses your work without your consent result in copyright infringement. So, be careful.

As photographers, it’s essential for us to at least have a basic understanding of the Copyright Protection and rights we can enjoy under the law of the respective nation. For further information and questions/ answers related to copyright law, protection, registration, or more, you are recommended to find a good Intellectual Property Attorney. You can also look for a deft Intellectual Property Law Firm as such companies will provide you with the best possible information. These can assist you with almost every concern, from the Copyright Registration Process to the fee required to register your photo and even how to secure other Intellectual property (IP) assets. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

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8 Significant Trademark Terms You Must Know

8 Significant Trademark Terms You Must Know

In the present era of rapid advancements and cut-throat competition, the importance of Intellectual Property (IP) is exponentially increasing. Besides significance, thefts and unauthorized uses of IPs are also multiplying, thus making the owners think about the protection of their valuable IP. Amongst the several ways in which one can safeguard his/ her IP assets, trademark registration appears to be the easiest one when it comes to the protection of the businesses’ unique brand names, logos, or slogans. Apart from preventing the use of one’s hard work without his/ her permission, the trademark serves him/ her business with remarkable goodwill and reputation. And this is what makes it the foremost choice of many entrepreneurs and companies worldwide.

Trademark is assuredly emerging as one of the excellent kind of IP and interests more and more businesses, you still need to comprehend some frequently used terms while planning obtaining protection for your mark. In this article, we will explain a few important trademark terms in simple and understandable language.

  1. Trademark

 It can be anything like a sign, symbol, name, sound, or word that distinguishes its proprietor’s products or services from that of others.

  1. Class

A trademark class represents a distinct group of goods and services. As per the NICE Classification, which is an international classification system followed by most registries, the class of goods and services to which the trademark pertains must be specified in the application. There are many trademark classes, and each class holds various goods or services, which are not always obvious from the class name. Under NICE Classification, goods and services are divided into 45 classes, out of which 1-34 define goods while 34-45 include services.

  1. Priority Claim

Priority claim refers to a right given by the majority of countries worldwide to the applicant of a trademark that has been filed for the very first time. Under this, the applicant applying for registration of a mark for the first time is granted the right to claim priority while filing applications to register the same mark in other countries within six months from the date of the first filing. If priority is claimed, the second application would be considered as having been filed on the same date of the first filing. As a consequence, the applicant will enjoy prior rights against applications filed by other parties from the date of filing in the first nation.

  1. Infringement

Trademark Infringement is an issue, which occurs when a mark that’s identical or confusingly similar to another company’s trademark is used without the owner’s permission.

  1. Trademark Journal

 It is where the mark is published if the application hasn’t been refused by the duty officer during the trademark registration process. In this way, the Trademark Law provides the public with a legal opportunity to file an opposition against the registration of the associated mark. Note that the opposition should be filed within a limited period before Trademark Protection is granted.

  1. License

It is an agreement amid a trademark owner (licensor) and another party (licensee), where the licensor allows the licensee to make specific and limited use of his/ her trademark. These licenses are often subject to royalty payments.  

  1. Symbols ® and ™

The symbols ® and ™ represent that the term on which these are put is someone’s trademark. ® means that the trademark is registered with the associated registry, and this symbol cannot be used before the Trademark Registration Process is completed. However, ™ can be used if the company is using its mark as a trademark even though it hasn’t yet applied for their mark.

  1. Distinctiveness and descriptiveness

As the prime purpose of a trademark is to identify its origin, it must be distinctive to the consumers to be accepted by the registry. In general, arbitrary trademarks like Blackberry and fanciful trademarks like Nike are considered as the most distinctive ones. Along with being distinctive, your trademark should be descriptive, i.e., it describes some characteristics like the quality, quantity, value, origin, or intended purpose of the goods or services. Descriptive trademarks cannot be secured as a trademark unless their extensive usage enables them to have acquired distinctiveness.

The above information will hopefully prove beneficial for you, no matter whether you want to register your trademark or provide your Registered Trademark as a license to any third party. In other words, the data will help you in protecting as well as monetizing your trademark. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

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What Can Impact Intellectual Property Trends in 2020?

What Can Impact Intellectual Property Trends in 2020?

Till now, when it’s around 20 days from the start of the year 2020, you hopefully be aware of statistics from 2019, no matter whether in association to Intellectual Property (IP), brand protection, or anti-counterfeiting. Nevertheless, besides gaining information about the past year, it is vital to consider some of the key IP and brand protection trends for 2020, and the new decade beyond.

In 2020, we undoubtedly expect to hear more about the US-China trade talks, and the European (EU) Copyright Directive. However, this is not all. We can come across many other trends and stories that would be significant for brands and how they secure themselves from IP infringement in this year.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

2020 is expected to be the phase when many companies move from experimenting with new tools and technologies to their broader implementation. The scope of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) looks to increase and affect the interactions brands used to have with consumers and counterfeiters.

It appears as if the sophistication of conversational AI interactions will enhance, resulting in improved communication between businesses and consumers. It further may improve buying patterns. On the other hand, ML will become more advanced in regards to image recognition, data clustering, and web scraping. It means that data monitoring and IP enforcement will benefit comparatively more from automation, allowing machines to fight the scams in addition to human expertise.

Blockchain

Blockchain and its operative use in anti-counterfeiting can be the other key area of growth in 2020. As technology is becoming cheaper day by day, the world would see it into the hands of many more businesses. Widespread adoption and embedding of blockchain-based smart contracts system will make the technology to execute a license for the use of original creator’s IP, scale automatic payment, and ensure that he/ she gets the correct compensation for his/ her unique work. Apart from assisting the users in making profits by earning more money and saving financial resources on getting agents to manage IP, blockchain technology would work even to prohibit content piracy, one of the common challenges creators often encounter. Indeed, 2020 and other upcoming years are expected to provide blockchain technology with advancements that would help you monetize your IP in several new ways.

Social Media Expansion: WeChat, TikTok, Etc.

For a long time, online platforms have dominated the talks about the availability and impacts of counterfeit and copied goods. As these platforms have been one of the easiest ways for consumers to shop, they have created spaces where fake sellers of infringed products or services could anonymize their identities. Previously, online platforms like social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, etc., were a secondary option for counterfeiters and sellers of violated products. Nonetheless, with the introduction of additional social commerce-oriented extensions, they gained importance. Social media channels are remarkably difficult for Intellectual Property Law enforcement to target as communications on these channels are private. Moreover, there is no ID transparency rule, and accounts can be made using false information. All these facts make it important for the brands to enlist the support of an experienced IP Attorney. They can also partner with a specialized Intellectual Property Law Firm that can provide online monitoring and IP enforcement. This is what we expect to see more in 2020.

Another thing to watch in 2020 will be the increase in both the size and scope of spaces like WeChat, TikTok and more. As counterfeits and IP abuse, especially Copyright Infringement, is common on online sites and channels, brands need to be cautious about ‘how can they deal with such issues.’ Intellectual Property Law Firm in Maldives or any country appears to be the best helping hand to battle against the problems caused by counterfeiting and IP abuse in this advanced but malicious decade. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

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China to Reinforce Protection for Intellectual Property Rights

China to Reinforce Protection for Intellectual Property Rights

The Chinese government, through the medium of a document it issued earlier this week, has revealed its desire to improve the protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), an issue reflecting at the center of trade matters with the United States (US).

The document launched recently is a joint directive by the General Offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Chinese State Council, aimed at strengthening the protection of Chinese IPRs between accusations from the US stating that China has stolen the American IP.  The directive laid out China’s goal of reinforcing IPRs protection over the next two years by raising the upper limits for compensation related to the infringement of such rights.

According to the excerpts provided by the Chinese State Council, the directive reads that increasing IPRs protection is one of the most significant ways to improve the IPR system and to boost up the economic competitiveness of China. The new guidelines also revealed that China would multiply its efforts to enhance international cooperation on the protection of IPR, promote communication between foreign and domestic rights holders, and provide support in overseas IPR disputes.

The document also discussed China’s plan to increase the protection of trade secrets, confidential business data, and source codes and speed up the procedure to introduce a punitive compensation system for violation of patents, copyrights, or other IPRs.

The measures came after considering that the disputes over the theft of Intellectual Property (IP) have roiled the trade negotiations amid the world’s two largest economies, i.e., the U.S. and China scramble to reach phase-one of a trade deal.  The development came as investors have been scaling back their hopes for a phase-one agreement amid Beijing and Washington before the end of this year, i.e., 2019. This sort of deal was expected to provide the stage for dealing with chief concerns like a complaint made by the U.S against China, alleging that China steals intellectual property.

In an investigation made by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative last year, it was found that the intellectual-property theft by China compels the U.S to face a loss between $225 billion and $600 billion a year.

Ultimately, the document claimed that by 2022, China would be making progress in matters that have affected IPRs enforcement, like high costs, low compensation, and the difficulty of proof. And also that by 2025, the nation would have implemented an upgraded system of IPR protection. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

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Apple’s Patent for Wraparound Display Hints Possibility for New iPhone

Apple’s Patent for Wraparound Display Hints Possibility for New iPhone

Apple, an American multinational technology company, has revived its interest in an old patent that details a mysterious wraparound display. In March 2013, Apple had filed a Patent Application that features an ambiguous device having a glass body and a display looping around the body. Since then, the company has filed thirteen patent applications revolving around the design of this device. The recent patent that details some changes in the design of the device is a continuation of the previous ones.

As far as display and body are concerned, Apple has always had a glass display and a metal body. Undoubtedly, some plastic derivatives at the middle and lower-end were also used for the rear panel, and there have been smartphones’ models with the display on, but a complete wrap-around is something no one has seen so far. Although the concept of wraparound display technology has been available with Samsung and Xiaomi also, no commercial model with such design is accessible in the market.

The changes in the latest patent showcase virtual volume keys, rather than the traditional physical buttons. They also show that the device includes a top bezel that further consists of an earpiece and many other essential sensors in addition to a narrow bottom bezel. The device doesn’t hold the notch, which most of the recent iPhones do.

The wraparound display described in the patent application indicates that the expected device will be an all-glass affair having the display on both sides of the phone. It even suggests that this could be Apple’s answer to a foldable phone. That may appear a little far-fetched as a foldable smartphone when unfolded converts it into a tablet.

Nonetheless, it is noticeable that the sketches in the patent application detail the original 2013’s design so that the company can update it for a future release to keep up with the prevailing design trends. However, with Apple too, it is highly unlikely that the firm will unveil an iPhone with a wraparound display or the iPhone 12 (to be launched next fall) will have this updated design.

We should consider that this is just a patent, which may exist as it is for several years. It is also possible that Apple may never come up with this device as the company files multiple patent applications each month, and it’s a continuous process. Indeed, various concepts and designs for which it gets the patents don’t see the light of the day. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

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A brief about Geographical Indications and Designation of Origin

A brief about Geographical Indications and Designation of Origin

Having a wide range of applications in Intellectual Property (IP) regimes of several countries worldwide, Geographical Indication (GI) is a sign, symbol, or name used on products to indicate that they have originated from a specific geographical locality and possess qualities, characteristics, and reputation attributable to their origin. GI not just functions as quality marks that improve export markets and revenues but also provides a precise source of origin. In this way, it prevents unauthorized users or manufacturers from manufacturing and selling fake products, i.e., products that don’t meet the applicable standards in regards to that origin. For instance, as Darjeeling tea holds a GI tag, its producers have a complete right to prevent the use of the term Darjeeling for the tea products, which are either not produced as per the standards set by the GI law or not grown in their jurisdictions. Though geographical indication protection doesn’t provide the right to prevent others from using the same technique or procedure to manufacture products similar to those that have been granted GI tags, yet it is beneficial in protecting unauthorized use of sign, symbol, or a name that constitutes indication.

Now, if we talk about the designation of origin, it refers to a special kind of protection and implies exclusive or essential natural and human factors of the geographical environment leading to specific characteristics and quality of products and services. It grants protection to the names or signs indicating that a product or service originates from a specific geographical region.

Why Should Geographical Indications and Designation of Origin be protected?

Protection of GIs and designation of origin under the Intellectual Property Law is crucial to evade unauthorized use and infringement. Prevention of such unlawful use will ultimately contribute to increasing the commercial value and reputation of the products and services. Moreover, it also benefits the general public and consumers. For instance, by promoting good business practices and fair market competition, protected GIs will help the customers to buy the precise products. Furthermore, by retaining the active workforce and stimulating family farms, especially in rural areas for developing specific and traditional products and services, the protection of these signs is favorable to economic development as well.

How Should the Protection of Geographical Indications be granted?

The protection of GIs under IP should be granted through a relevant registration procedure. GIs are often protected under national laws and following a wide range of concepts, like laws for the protection of certification marks, laws against unfair competition, consumer protection laws, or special laws for the protection of geographical indications or designations of origin. The Geographical Indication Protection provides the owner with the right to prevent third parties from using the authorized indication on or for the products or services that do not conform to the applicable standards and can be obtained by acquiring right over the sign or name that constitutes the indication. Once registered, the GI and designation of origin may be used collectively by any of the producers (who meet the requirements) from the specific locality.

Contrary to other sorts of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) like a trademark, patent, Industrial Design, and more, the legal systems taking care of this field may differ from state to state. One other considerable fact about geographical indication or designation of origin is that these are often used with producers’ sign or logo that can be protected under trademark with a perspective to focus on the individual character and common characteristics of products’ origin.

Protection of GI tags and designation of origin not just prohibits infringement issues but also builds a remarkable reputation worldwide. It then motivates the consumers to buy the GI products, along with visiting the regions where these commodities are being produced or made, and that ultimately benefit both the producers and nations by enhancing the tourism of those areas. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

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DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act): Everything You Need to Know

DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act): Everything You Need to Know

Since the internet began, people have uploaded and published over a trillion gigabytes of digital content that includes music, games, movies, and much more. The rapid advancements in the digital age and the internet have undoubtedly served content creators and publishers with lots of opportunities to make profits and revenue but along with challenges such as violation of their data online. Indeed, Copyright Infringement is one of the biggest challenges that the digital world faces in the present era. To stop the continuous increase in widespread unlawful access to copyrighted materials observed in the 1990s, the US government put a step and came up with a law called the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Abbreviated as DMCA, this law is a result of the teamwork of legislators, media firms, and consumer lawyers, and enacted by the US Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton in 1998. The law was made on request of many organizations requested for a legal process by which holder of Copyright Website, content, or image could assert their rights to prevent the illegal use of their media. Apart from providing the copyright holders with these facilities, DMCA aims to maintain a balance between the interests of original owners and those who want to purchase the copyrighted materials. It also takes care of penalties to be put on offenders who intentionally violate any Intellectual Property (IP).

DMCA Takedown Notice

Resting as the main component of DMCA law, DMCA takedown notice is an official notification to inform the firm, search engine, web host, or internet service provider (ISP) that they are using copyrighted material. As, in the legal sense, such use is unlawful and leads to copyright infringement, the site or company who receives this notice should immediately take down the specific material. In case they avoid doing so, the ISP could forcefully remove the copyrighted content. You can send the DMCA notice or request for the following types of copyright content:

  • Videos,
  • Digital software,
  • Artwork, images, photos,
  • Posts on your official websites,
  • Songs, music, and almost every kind of audio files,
  • Written texts, including books, poetry, articles, blogs, etc.

Registration of Work Isn’t Necessary

When it comes to write or send a DMCA notice, it is not mandatory to register your work. Any unique content becomes its owner’s IP as soon as he/she creates it. And, as the original owner holds the copyright to it from the moment of its creation, he/she can send a DMCA notice in regards to it without bothering about Copyright Registration. DMCA takedown request is one of the politest ways to prevent infringement of any unregistered material, but don’t forget that if you want to go for a copyright infringement lawsuit, then it is essential to register your content with the copyright office.

Procedure to Create DMCA Notice

As per the law, there is no official DMCA takedown notice form or template that copyright owners are needed to use. However, to make the requests valid, each plaintiff (sender of the notice) must consider including certain specifications. Besides providing info that showcases the copyright infringement, the notice should include:

  • All the details related to the content that’s being infringed
  • A statement that the sender has a good faith that the party on the receiving end has infringed his/her content
  • A statement that under penalty of perjury, every detail provided in the takedown notice is precise
  • Sender’s contact information
  • Sender’s physical or electronic signature

Don’t Worry If You Receive a DMCA Takedown Notice

Considering the legal standing, receiving a DMCA takedown notice undoubtedly sounds a bit scary, but being worried or scared is not at all a solution. What you should do in such cases is first of all calm down and be honest to yourself. After that, think whether or not you infringed the copyrighted material intentionally. Usually, there are high possibilities that you didn’t steal or post the content intentionally. Nevertheless, if you find yourself guilty of infringing the material, then rectifying your mistake will be the best solution. Be quick to locate and take down the violated content as soon as you could. In some cases where you host multiple websites with various people posting and sharing content, there are probabilities that you receive the notice as the next logical person to contact while the infringement was committed by any of those people. Other likelihoods could be that you are using the copyrighted content cautiously within the boundaries of Fair Use. If that’s so, then contact the sender of the notice and share the details of how you used his/her content. It will help you in sorting the issue with ease.

Conclusion

Nowadays, when powerful tools like DMCA are here to help you fight back the infringers, there is no need to stand like helpless in situations when they steal or use your copyrighted content. When these tools have been designed to serve you, then why not utilize them and extract the benefits that you deserve. From today onwards, be active and understand the rights you hold over your copyrighted content and ways to utilize them in the best possible manner. In the case of any query, feel free to contact an experienced IP Attorney. You can also contact an Intellectual Property Law Firm with good experience in rendering services related to the IP industry. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

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5 Vital Things to Consider Before Applying for a Patent

5 Vital Things to Consider Before Applying for a Patent

On the path from just an idea to inventing success, there are undoubtedly many pitfalls that can disturb our way. Sadly, one of the biggest pitfalls is incomplete knowledge. There are a lot of things that we as inventors should know. From the importance of patenting our invention to How to Apply for a Patent and understanding the role of patent protection are some obvious things with which we should be familiar. What follows, however, are the five things that inventors must know and understand when they intend to file a patent application.

Five Key Points to Consider When You File a Patent Application

  1. Comprehend ‘Why Are You Doing This?’: People often take patent filing as just a task related to their invention, and thus, go with the flow and apply for a patent. Well, it is not at all a good idea, you should always actively engage in the patent process after gathering complete information as, after all, it’s the matter of your invention’s protection. Comprehend what patents are for, how can they profit your business, what do you expect from them, etc. In general, you may want to file a patent application for several reasons. For instance, an issued patent grants you exclusive rights to stop infringers. Your patent application, whether it ends up with a granted patent or not, acts as a public prior art document that prevents others from filing a patent application for a similar thing in the future. A patent portfolio shows your seriousness about the protection of your IP and can boost your company’s reputation and prestige.
  2. Opt for Precise Filing Method: When it comes to the patent filing, you will find several approaches. Although it is a straightforward decision that you can easily make depending on your needs, gathering information regarding each method will be advantageous. You can opt for filing the non-provisional patent application, Provisional Patent Application, international patent application, PCT application, or Design Patent
  3. Prefer Working Under Supervision of Your Patent Attorney: Your patent lawyer do it for a living and strive to serve you with remarkable profits. Hence, he or she is a valuable asset in this whole Patent Process. Never hesitate to ask questions and clear your doubts. Besides, stay in touch throughout your application preparation process. Ensure that your attorney will prepare the final application based on your disclosure as it will make things go right and the procedure easier. The lawyers can’t read minds, and therefore, possibly need your help to explain everything in your application adequately. Ask your engineers and inventors to spend some time helping them. Don’t forget to make your attorney aware of what you consider to be the ‘inventive’ part of your invention and what differentiates it from the others’ already invented assets. Your lawyer assuredly knows that the application requires multiple details described precisely, and creates it in the same way. However, being careful and ensuring that everything goes correctly and politely on your part is also essential to avoid possible issues due to the use of stern language.
  4. Don’t Miss Out to Review the Draft Application: After preparation of the application when you are about to file it, you should review everything to ensure completeness and accuracy. Make sure that nothing important is missing, and the description describes every aspect of your invention such that all who go through it can understand the same. Moreover, emphasize substance more than style, i.e., though stylish and eye-catchy, yet if something seems weird, consult your attorney about it.
  5. Get Familiarized with Deadlines and Apt Timings: An experienced and knowledgeable solicitor is the best person to tell and explain these to you. Nevertheless, some imperative deadlines and timings as per the US Patent Law state that it’ll be in your best interest to apply for a patent before disclosing the invention to anyone. Furthermore, if you wish to prioritize your application officially at the USPTO, you have to do so on the day you apply, as it will not be possible later. Foreign and PCT patent applications need to be filed within a few months of the initial US patent application.

Conclusion

Although applying for a patent is a gratifying and proud process, it can be time-consuming and difficult. But if you stay updated with the day-to-day reforms surrounding the IP industry and consider the five points mentioned above, there will be no or hardly anything that prevents you from obtaining robust patent protection. Furthermore, stay confident to consult an Intellectual Property Law Firm or IP Attorney if you have any other query. Good Luck! For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

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DPIIT Announces Launch of App for IPRs to Benefit SMEs and Startups

DPIIT Announces Launch of App for IPRs to Benefit SMEs and Startups

Recently, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) announced that it had developed a mobile application and website on Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs).

Launched by the Modi government on 14th October 2019, the dedicated website and app are aiming at making Indian startups and SMEs learn to protect and maximize their innovations.

According to a government press release, these dedicated tools have been developed by Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM), DPIIT along with Qualcomm and National Law University (NLU), Delhi. By playing a remarkable role in enhancing the competitiveness of the businesses and opportunities to take technology products to market, Intellectual Property (IP) can be a road directing startups and SMEs to a successful destination.     

Guruprasad Mohapatra, secretary DPIIT, explained that as both the app and website will be useful to communities that hold a considerable promise for the country and its economy, this project appears very significant. Startups and SMEs are more harmonized into investment and risk-taking due to lack of legal knowledge, and today, when the nation is on the threshold of the fourth industrial revolution, the interface between law and technology is growing and therefore, it is crucial to be available with a specialized app and website to help enterprises with the IP processes.  

The press release also mentioned that the e-learning platforms – L2Pro India IP e-learning Website and the L2Pro India Mobile App are expected to help not just startups but even entrepreneurs, innovators, and small and medium industries to understand IPRs for their protection, integrate IP into their business models, and obtain value for their R&D (research and development) efforts.

The L2Pro has been successfully implemented in various nations, like Italy, UK (United Kingdom), Germany, and France benefiting from close collaboration with IP Firms and public research institutions. The learning app has been customized for India to ensure that innovations are protected, managed, and commercialized.

The L2Pro India IP e-learning platforms will be available with 11 modules for three different levels, covering Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. Each module would comprise e-text for understanding concepts, links to additional resources on the subject, short animated videos of the ideas, and quizzes for grading the learner’s knowledge and insight into the subject.

People can access these e-learning platforms through their desktop, laptop, mobile browser, and mobile app (on Android and iOS), and on successful completion of their e-learning modules, they will receive e-certificates by CIPAM-DPIIT, NLU, and Qualcomm. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

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