Property Intellectual and Invention Protection for Engineers
March 19, 2009 Presentation to SFU ENSC By Roch Ripley
The Power of Original Thought
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Objective
Learn the basics of intellectual property (IP) law as it applies to engineers Save money in the future: save time, prevent errors Learn tips that can help you in your project courses
The Power of Original Thought
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Agenda Introduction Who am I? What is Intellectual Property or IP? What are some different types of IP and how do they relate to each other? Invention Protection: Trade Secrets and Patents Case Study: US 7,434,177 (The Apple Dock) Conclusion
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What is IP? Property
Enforceable rights against the world
Real Personal Intellectual
Intellectual
Creations of the mind
Expression, inventions, brands, designs, secrecy
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Different Types of IP Copyright Industrial Designs Trade-marks Invention Protection
Trade Secrets Patents
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Different Types of IP Copyright
Prevents unauthorized reproduction of original literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works that required skill and judgment to produce. Cheap (vests automatically); long lasting (50 years from death of author) Software, project documentation, icons Beware limitations: does not protect functionality Beware open source licences Generally automatically vests in employer
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Different Types of IP Industrial Designs
Protects original features of shape, configuration, pattern or ornament and any combination of those features that, in a finished article, appeal to and are judged solely by the eye E.g.: computer icons, Coke bottle 10 years of protection; relatively inexpensive (generally $2,000 - $3,000 from application to registration) and quick to obtain (~ 1 year from filing)
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Different Types of IP Trade-mark
Source identifiers Protects the use of words/phrases and designs in association with wares and services Can be very powerful: Apple, Google, Microsoft, Dell Can be registered or unregistered Registration generally relatively inexpensive: ~ $2,000 spread over two years
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Different Types of IP Trade Secrets Any information that
is or may be used in trade or business is not generally known in that trade or business has economic value from not being generally known is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy
Compiled computer code that cannot be reverse engineered (Microsoft source code; firmware) Potentially infinite in duration (see Coca-cola)
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Different Types of IP Patents
A statutory right of exclusivity that prevents others from using a new, non-obvious, and useful method, machine, manufacture or composition of matter 20 years of protection; can be expensive (anywhere from $6,000 to $15,000 to draft and file an application, depending on invention complexity) Includes digital and analog hardware designs; firmware (DSP; microcontrollers configured to enable a certain device); many types of software (XML appliances, wireless devices, software that runs on personal computers)
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Different Types of IP
Pat TS (C) ID
TM
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Invention Protection Why use Trade Secrets?
Not time limited Not territorially limited No springboard Lower upfront costs Lower enforcement costs Immediate protection Can be used to protect innovations not protectable by patents (e.g.: innovations that arent inventive)
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Invention Protection Why use Patents?
Trade secret protection may be unfeasible Exploitation: a patent is a clearly identifiable asset that may sold be or licensed Trade secret protection destroyed as soon as another party learns of trade secret through legitimate means
E.g.: independent creation, innocent recipients of information
Protection - protect your development path Deterrence - discourage others from using your proprietary technology Optics
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Patents Anatomy of a Patent Application
A patent is a bargain between the State and Inventor to provide a time limited exclusive right in an invention to the Inventor in exchange for a useful disclosure of the invention from the Inventor to the public.
Two Requirements of a Patent
enabling disclosure of the invention to the public a clear definition of the boundary of the invention claimed
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Patents Enabling Disclosure - the Specification
Must be sufficiently detailed to teach a skilled person in the art how to make an embodiment of the invention Disclosure describes embodiments of the invention, not the invention Best mode requirement Must be a useful disclosure: disclosed invention must work as advertised
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Patents Claims are the only part in patent application where invention is defined Claims define the boundaries of the exclusive right Overly broad claims will result in invalid patent; overly narrow claims are commercially useless
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Patents Helpful to know whats out there already - from a legal standpoint, cant claim whats already known Recommend doing own patent searching to see whats out there - try Google Patents (put into Proposals?). Important to know whats out there at the time of drafting the patent so you can explain to the Patent Examiner why what youre doing is new and inventive. Cant add new matter later.
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Patents You think you have valuable technology. What do you do?
identify the elements that give your company its competitive advantage ask: are these elements innovative? determine: are these elements protectable? acquire patent protection exploit your patents to full advantage
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Case Study: The Apple Dock
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Case Study: The Apple Dock Youre working at Apple in 1999. Youve developed the Apple Dock. What gives the Dock its competitive advantage? I.e., ...