The Importance of IP – A Thumbnail Sketch of Intellectual Property Rights

By: David Adler

One question I’m frequently asked is “how can I protect my idea.”  Giving an answer to that question requires understanding the different types of intellectual property rights such as copyright, trademark and patent.  Many people recognize the words but don’t always know which one applies and what, exactly, it protects.  The FABTECH seminar Protecting Original Design: The Importance of IP for Fabricators is intended to explain how, when, and why different intellectual property laws can be used to protect original design and how this creates opportunities to add value to a business.

Original design is important for two intertwined reasons. First, as more brands develop signature styles, protecting original design is more important than ever.  Second, there is a real risk from knock-offs in terms of both product liability and fraud.  Original design signals to the buyer a message of authenticity, craftsmanship, quality and durability.  Lacking these attributes make knock-offs a form of fraud. According to Ricardo Nabholz, Assoc. IIDA, LEED AP, senior associate and creative director at TPG Architecture, “Once you divorce the idea of original design from products and apply it to other aspects of day-to-day commerce, it is easy to recognize knock-off as a form of fraud that no just person would willingly engage in.”

Read more >> https://www.fabtechexpo.com/blog/2019/11/03/the-importance-of-ip-a-thumbnail-sketch-of-intellectual-property-rights