1. Intellectual property: what you need to know

In the course of your business, you'll probably own intellectual property and use other people's intellectual property. Business assets like copyrights, trademarks, patents, and design rights are all examples of intellectual property.

Protect your intellectual property rights, and don't break other people's freedoms when you use their work.

2. What is the law on intellectual property?

People who own intellectual property can own the things they make. Among these are some possibilities:

• ideas and brand names • designs • music • books • songs • paintings • photographs • other types of artistic work

Intellectual property is sometimes worth a lot of money. There are companies, like computer game companies, whose only goal is to create or even use intellectual property.

To keep your business safe, you should protect your intellectual property rights. Furthermore, it's important not to violate the rights of other companies.

3. What you can do to keep your ideas safe

You can keep your intellectual property safe in several ways.

The person or group that makes a published work of art is given a copyright. In this group are writing, music for movies, and computer programs. When a work is first released, copyright is instantly given. This process is different from most other types of intellectual property.

Patents defend discoveries, which include the ways and parts that things work.

Logos or brand names can be used as trademarks to tell the difference between goods and services.

Two ways to protect designs are to register them and use design rights.

There are ways to protect digital intellectual property besides the law. For example, you can secure data and use digital signatures.

Your business can get help from several government or connected groups with design, creativity, intellectual property, measurement, and standard needs.

4. Inventions / Patents

Getting a patent is a good way to protect your ideas. If someone uses your invention without your permission, you can sue so you can get paid.

Copyright applications can be difficult to understand, and some goods need more than one copyright to protect them. Someone who works as a patent agent can help you show your application and make sure you don't break anyone else's intellectual property rights.

If they let you, you might be able to use their technology.

5. Copyright 

If you write, perform, make music, or create an artwork, you will automatically be given copyright. If someone you hire makes this work for you as part of their job, you will own the title. But if a deal is made that says they own the copyright, the person you hire will own it.

Works like business documents, software, songs, original paintings, drawings, or photos are protected by copyright. Films and sound records are also protected by copyright.

If you own a copyright, you can choose to: let other people or businesses use the work; let the work be copied, changed, published, performed, or aired; charge an income or license fee to other businesses for the right to use the work; or sell the copyright.

6. Labels and trademarks

With trademarks, you can show that your goods and services are different from those of other sellers. Labels, badges, words, and names are some examples. What can and cannot be recognized as a trademark is limited by policy. A trademark is a very valuable thing that can have a big effect on how you sell and be known in the market.

Safeguard your trademarks and don't copy other people's logos.

7. Designs

In two different ways, you can protect the shape or order of three-dimensional things. You will instantly be given the right to create. This process keeps other people or businesses in the UK from stealing or abusing your work.

Furthermore, you can record a picture. This could give you better security and let you use your design right in other countries.

You must not violate the design rights of someone else. You might be able to work something out with the owner of the rights if you want to use someone else's design.

Not able to register two-dimensional designs like wallpaper patterns, fabric patterns, or graphic design, and these types of designs do not have automatic design rights. We recommend using copyright to keep them safe.

You should think about getting a non-disclosure deal to protect your ideas before you talk to another person or business. Refer to our blog post about non-disclosure agreements.