Patents, Registered Designs, Trade Marks and Copyright For Dummies
by John Grant, Charlie Ashworth, and Henri Charmasson
Patents, Registered Designs, Trade Marks and Copyright For Dummies
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Copyright 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Chichester, West Sussex, England
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Chichester, West Sussex
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data: A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN: 978-0-470-51997-4
Printed and bound in Great Britain by Bell and Bain Ltd, Glasgow
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
About the Authors
John Grant is a UK and European Patent and Trade Mark Attorney with over 35 years experience in the prosecution, management, and licensing of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) for Redland PLC, now Lafarge SA, until early retirement in 1998.
For the last five years, while remaining as an IP consultant to Lafarge and others, John has provided IP services to Trevor Baylis Brands plc and has personally advised several hundred inventors concerning their innovations; some good, and some very good. Alas, however, some inventors have re-invented an old idea. In such cases, Johns philosophy has been to let them down as gently as possible and to ensure that theyre not too deflated but move quickly on to their next project that may prove to be more fruitful with the thought that if you dont roll the dice, you cant get a six!
Charlie Ashworth is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys. Having graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design and Manufacture in 2002, she went on to work for a leading product design consultancy in their IP team. Charlie completed both a Certificate and Masters in Intellectual Property Law and Management in 2006, and has worked as the Intellectual Property Manager for Trevor Baylis Brands plc, for whom she continues to act.
Charlie has over five years experience in IP searching and the appraisal of new ideas and inventions, considering both the commercial and protectable aspects. She also works as a consultant to Stanleys, an established intellectual property practice, with offices in the UK and the Channel Islands.
Henri Charmasson is an attorney who specialises in intellectual property cases, and a product-branding consultant to major corporations. Hes also an entrepreneur and inventor with his name on a dozen patents. In a distant life, he was an electrical engineer who designed aerospace and computer hardware.
Henri has authored several books and articles on patent, copyright, and trade mark topics, including an authoritative treatise about the art of naming companies and branding products.
Dedication
To innovators, young and not so young, whose ingenuity is a credit to each one of them and a bonus to us all.
Authors Acknowledgements
Were most grateful to Henri Charmasson for his work that has enabled us to address the re-editing of this book, which weve found to be a most enjoyable and rewarding experience.
In addition we wish to thank the following for their help and encouragement. Miles Rees and his colleagues at the UK-IPO who kindly reviewed our final draft and kept us on the straight and narrow. Paul Leonard of the Intellectual Property Institute (IPI) and the Intellectual Property Network (IPAN). The Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA). Kevin Mooney and others of Simmons & Simmons. Derek Gambell of Graham Watt & Co LLP. Peter Jackson and Philip Robinson, the co-editors of the sister book Inventing For Dummies, for their assistance and advice in avoiding inconsistencies and anomalies between the two works.
JG and CA
Publishers Acknowledgements
Were proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/.
Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development
Project Editor: Rachael Chilvers
Content Editor: Nicole Burnett
Development Editor: Colette Holden
Copy Editor: Martin Key
Proofreader: Anne ORorke
Technical Editor: UK Intellectual Property Office
Publisher: Jason Dunne
Executive Editor: Samantha Spickernell