Database Protection
Databases have copyright protection for the selection and arrangement of the contents. In addition, or instead, database right may exist in a database. This is an automatic right and protects databases against the unauthorised extraction and re-utilisation of the contents of the database. Database right lasts for 15 years from creation. If the database is published during this time then the term is 15 years from publication.
Designs - Design right
Design right is an automatic monopoly right that applies to original, non-commonplace designs of the shape or configuration of articles. It can last up to 15 years (10 years from the date of the first marketing). The right is more limited than a registered design, in that actual copying has to be established before infringement can be proved.
Designs - registered design
A registered design is a monopoly right for the outward appearance (also called "eye-appeal" or "look") of an article (or part of it) or a set of articles in manufacture, for example, jug and handle. It can last for a maximum of 25 years. A registered design is additional to any design right or copyright protection that arise automatically.
Domain Names
Domain names allow people to find information on the Internet. Just as postcodes are used for particular street names, computers connected to the Internet have unique numerical addresses so that electronic information is delivered to the right place. A domain name is a more user-friendly way of finding a website, rather than typing in a numerical computer address. A registered trade mark may not mean freedom to use the same mark as a domain name, because the same mark may be registered as a trade mark by different proprietors for different goods/services. Someone else may also have legitimately registered the mark as their domain name. Nominet UK is the Registry for United Kingdom Internet domain names and it provides a Dispute Resolution Service for domain name conflicts. See Cyber Squatting.
European Patent Convention (EPC)
The international convention governing the application for, processing and grant of a European patent.
European Patent Office (EPO)
The intergovernmental organisation (not part of the EU) set up to administer the EPC and to search and to examine European patent applications.
European Patents (EP)
A single patent application can be made to the European Patent Office, which can lead to the grant of a patent in each country designated by the applicant. Once granted, the European patent is treated as a bundle of separate, national patents.
Franchise
A form of business agreement in which a firm which already has a product or service (the franchisor) enters into a continuing contractual relationship with other businesses (franchisees). Franchisees operate under the franchisor's intellectual property and intellectual assets generally, including trade name and usually with the franchiser's guidance, in exchange for a fee(s).
Goodwill
Is the additional value applied to a business over and above its accounting book value. A company's reputation or the quality of its customer base are both examples of goodwill, which could persuade a purchaser or investor to pay an additional premium for the business.
