What is intellectual property protection?

In short an intellectual property protection is a protection which prevents someone from stealing your creation.

There are many types of intellectual property protections, so you can be lost in choosing the protection which fits the best your creation. Indeed, depending on your type of creation, you can have:

-An automatic protection;

-A protection you have to apply for;

-An non-disclosure agreement.

-Automatic protections :

Copyright and Design right

The good news about these both protections is that you don’t need to do any application. They are also completely free. Copyright and Design right prevent people from using your work without your permission.

Design right

Design right protects only the configuration and the shape of your creation. This protection lasts 10 years once it is sold and 15 years from its creation. If you want to benefit from this right you have just to prove the date of creation and that is all.

Copyright

Copyright protects a lot of creations such as photography, web content, films, music…This protection is automatic, however, I advise you to inform the users that your creation is protected.

For that, you just need to add on your creation the following information: the copyright symbol ©, the year of creation and your name. This protection can be applied abroad if your country has signed international agreements. Usually the protection lasts around 25 years for photographs and 50 years for the other types of work.

NOT Automatic Protections

Registereddesigns, trademarks and patents

These protections are not automatic. You have to follow a process to benefit from these protections. Thanks to these rights, you have a legal action against someone who uses your creation or invention without your permission.

Registered designs

By registering your design, you protect its appearance, its shape or its decoration. The protection lasts up to 25 years however you have to renew it every 5 years.

Trademarks

Trademarks protect jingles, logos and product names. The application is a little bit more expensive. It costs around £250 and takes 4 months. The protection lasts 10 years. However it is renewable.

Patents

A patent is a veryeffective protection for your creation. However the procedure is time-consuming and very expensive. The application lasts around 5 years and costs around £4.000 because you need to hire a professional to do the application. A patent protects an artistic work, a playing game or a diagnosis.

Non-disclosure agreement:

An non-disclosure agreement is a contract signed by your partner and you. You can include the confidential information you want to share. Your partner is not allowed to disclose this information.

How ANT Lawyers Could Help Your Business?

Please click here to learn more about ANT Lawyers IP Practice or contact our IP lawyers in Vietnam for advice via email ant@antlawyers.vn or call our office at (+84) 24 32 23 27 71