Protecting your concept is a vital step for entrepreneurs but there is some important patent advice to take in before embarking on this.
Vital Patent Advice – Do’s and don’ts of IP
- Do determine whether you have IP (patent-able material) in your concept and whether or not you wish to protect it legally. Make sure your investors (if you have them) know why they are investing in IP otherwise it is difficult to get rigorous protection of your IP assets going forward because people do not buy in to the reasons why you should invest.
- Don’t choose a new company name or create a brand name without first checking whether it has been registered as a trade mark by another company. If it has and you use it, you may face a very costly rebrand and its not worth taking that risk!
- Don’t copy someone else’s design or technology without searching to see if it is protected first by patents or registered designs. If you do, you could face a lawsuit or a destruction of a vital technology/product development for your company.
- Don’t disclose your innovative idea to anyone, except in confidence (using a Confidentiality Agreement) until your intellectual property strategy has been settled and any patent applications and registered design applications have been filed. Any non-confidential disclosure before then can invalidate your intellectual property protection.
- Do use a registered, qualified patent or trade mark attorney for advice and support to take you through the IP process.
Wynne-Jones IP is a firm of Intellectual Property specialists that have been based in Cardiff, Telford and Cheltenham for over fifty years. The firm advises businesses and inventors in a wide range of sectors worldwide on all aspects of patents, trade marks, design rights and copyright.
For further advice from Wynne-Jones IP, follow them on Twitter @IP_Expert.