Reviewed 21 September 2006

• What is IP?
• • What is copyright?
  • What is a design?
  • • Registered designs
    • Design right
  • What is a patent?
  • What is a trade mark?
• Get IP protection
• • Benefits of IP protection
  • • Benefits of copyright protection
    • Benefits of design protection
    • Benefits of patent protection
    • Benefits of trade mark protection
    • IP insurance
  • Should you apply?
  • • Copyright
    • Designs
    • • Registered designs
      • Design right
    • Patents
    • • Trade secrets
      • Confidential disclosure agreements
    • Trade marks
  • Need further advice?
  • • Support schemes
• Managing your IP
• • Changing
  • • Transferring ownership
    • Change or appoint an attorney
    • Change owners name or address
    • Correct an error
    • Cancelling your IP
    • Changing your IP specification or registration
  • Renewing
  • • Restoring
  • Using
  • • Marketing
    • Mortgaging
    • Licensing
    • Show it's protected
  • Enforcing
  • • Certified/uncertified copies
    • Opinions and reviews
    • Passing off
  • Resolving disputes
  • Selling
  • Other protection
  • • Protection abroad
  • Status
• Other people's IP
• • Using
  • • Copying
    • Licensing
  • Buying
  • • Forming partnerships
    • Transferring ownership
  • Infringing
  • • Resolving disputes
  • Monitoring
  • Objecting
• IP abroad
• • Import and export
  • • EPO Official Journal
  • Extending UK IP rights abroad
  • • Anguilla
    • Antarctic
    • Antigua
    • Bahamas
    • Bermuda
    • Botswana
    • British Indian Ocean Territory
    • Brunei
    • Cayman
    • Cyprus
    • Dominica
    • Falklands
    • Fiji
    • Gambia
    • Gibraltar
    • Grenada
    • Guernsey
    • Guyana
    • Isle of man
    • Jersey
    • Kiribati
    • Malta
    • Montserrat
    • Nauru
    • Pitcairn
    • Saint Helena
    • Saint Kitts
    • Saint Lucia
    • Saint Vincent
    • Seychelles
    • Sierra
    • Solomon Islands
    • South Georgia
    • Swaziland
    • Tanzania
    • Tonga
    • Turks
    • Tuvala
    • Uganda
    • Vanuatu
    • Virgin Islands
    • Western Samoa
  • Copyright abroad
  • Designs in Europe
  • Designs worldwide
  • • Reports of Patent, Design and Trade Mark cases (RPC)
  • Permission to apply for a patent abroad
  • Patents in Europe
  • • Filing New European Patents through the UK-IPO
  • Patents worldwide
  • • Patent Co-operation Treaty
    • Fees for international (PCT) patents
    • New Patent Cooperation Treaty fees
  • Trade marks in Europe
  • Trade marks worldwide
• IP crime
• • Counterfeiting and piracy
  • • Reporting IP crime
    • Guide to offences
  • Enforcement
  • • The role of customs
    • Training for enforcers
    • Education
  • National IP Crime Strategy
  • • Annual Enforcement Report
    • The National IP Intelligence System
    • IP crime group

• Copyright
• • Claiming copyright
  • • Benefits of copyright protection
    • Automatic protection
    • Copyright registers
    • Other protection
    • • Database right
      • Conditional access technology
      • Copy protection devices
      • Publication right
      • Performers' rights
      • Enforcing copyright abroad
  • Copyright applies to
  • • Computing and the internet
    • Photographs
    • • Ownership of photographs pre 1945
      • ownership after 1 January 1945 but before 1 August 1989
      • Ownership taken after 1 August 1989
      • Duration of photographs pre 1945
      • Duration taken between 1945 and 1996
      • Duration taken on or after 1 January 1996
      • Commissioned photographs
    • TV and Films
    • Art
    • Written work
    • Music
    • • Sound recordings
    • Theatre
    • Spoken word
  • Managing your copyright
  • • Using and enforcing
    • • Enforcing
      • • Commercial
        • Abroad
        • Economic rights
        • Moral rights
      • Using
      • • Marketing
        • Licensing
        • • Contract
          • Implied
        • Exceptions to copyright
        • • Fair dealing
          • Information on non-commercial research
          • Criticism or review, reporting current events
          • Teaching in educational establishments
          • Not for profit playing of music
          • Help visually impaired people
          • Time-shifting
          • Sufficient acknowledgement
      • Mediation
      • • Our mediation service
        • • How to use our Mediation Services
          • Cost
        • Providers
    • Organisations representing copyright owners
    • • Music and sound
      • Printed material
      • Artistic works
      • Broadcast material
      • TV Listings
      • Film
    • Selling your copyright
  • Other people's
  • • Using and buying
    • Obtaining a licence from a copyright owner
    • Infringing
    • • Substantial part
  • Law
  • • Acts and Statutory instruments
    • • Statutory Instruments implementing EC Directives
    • Notices
    • • 2006
      • • Review of the Copyright Tribunal
        • Moral Rights for performers: implementation
      • 2005
      • • Review into the Intellectual Property Framework
        • Moral rights for performers
        • Draft Performances (Moral Rights, etc) Regulations 2005
        • Guidance on Regulations Implementing Performers' Moral Rights
      • 2004
      • • EU Consultation on the review of EU legislation on Copyright and Related Rights
        • EU Communication on the Management of Copyright and Related Rights
    • Related laws
    • EC directives and international treaties
    • • International and European Law
    • Convention Country Orders
    • Copyright Tribunal
• Designs
• • Applying
  • • Should you apply?
    • • Design right
      • • Getting design right protection
        • Do all designs qualify for design right?
        • Design right protection abroad
        • Protection
      • Abroad
      • • Design protection in Europe
        • • Professional representation
      • Further advice
      • Already registered?
      • • Designs search service
        • Designs Image Search
      • Requirements
      • Are you the owner?
      • Benefits
      • Expert search services
      • • Designs search FAQ
    • Costs and timeline
    • • Methods of payment
    • How to apply
    • • Filling in the application form
      • Filling in the FS2
      • Illustrations of your design
      • • Views of the design
        • Informal illustrations
        • Partial disclaimer
    • After you apply
    • • Examiner objections
      • Correction of errors
      • • Methods of payment
  • The decision making process
  • • Design law and how we interpret it
    • • Design law
      • • Design Right Law
        • • Form 1
          • Form 2
          • Form 3
          • Form 4
        • European Designs Directive
        • Registered Designs Act, Rules and SIs
        • • The Registered Designs Act
          • The Registered Designs Rules
          • Statutory Instruments
        • Designs Convention Country Orders
      • Design Notices
      • • Current notices
        • • Guidance
          • Classification Current Issues
          • Changes
        • Design Practice
        • • Design Practice Notice 6/06
          • Designs Practice Notice 5/06
          • Designs Practice Notice 4/06
          • Designs Practice Notice 3/06
          • Designs Practice Notice 2/06
          • 1/06
          • Designs Practice Notice 2/04
          • Designs Practice Notice 1/04
          • Designs Practice Notice 6/03
          • Designs Practice Notice 5/03
          • Designs Practice Notice 4/03
          • Designs Practice Notice 3/03
          • Designs Practice Notice 2/03
          • Designs Practice Notice 1/03
    • The Locarno Classification System
    • Hearings, appeals and previous decisions
    • • Hearings
      • • Do I need a hearing?
        • Types of hearing
        • • Ex Parte
          • Interlocutory
          • Main
          • Joint
          • Interparte
        • Costs
        • Requesting a hearing
        • Preparing for a hearing
      • Designs decisions
      • • Requests for statement of grounds of decision
        • 1998
        • 1999
        • 2000
        • 2001
        • 2002
        • • The Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG)
        • 2004
        • 2005
        • 2006
        • 2007
        • 2008
  • Find designs
  • • By number
    • • Service Offline
    • By product
    • • Find designs by product
      • Find designs by product
      • Help Page
    • By proprietor
    • By class
    • Using our expert search service
  • Journal
  • • Electronic Designs Journal
    • • Guide
      • • How to use
      • Previous
      • Registration and Publication timetable
      • Designs Journal
    • • PDJ customer feedback results
  • Managing your designs
  • • Changing and renewing
    • • Transferring ownership
      • • Filling in Form DF12A
      • Change or appoint an attorney
      • Change your name or address
      • Correcting errors
      • Cancelling your registered design
      • Renewing your design
      • Restoration
    • Using and enforcing
    • • Licensing
      • • Filling in Form DF12A
      • Mortgaging
      • • Filling in Form DF12A
      • Marketing
      • Displaying your Registered Design
      • Certified & uncertified copies
      • Abroad
      • Resolving disputes
      • • Before proceedings commence
        • ADR
        • • Mediation
          • Our mediation service
          • How to use
          • Providers
          • Cost
        • Stays or suspensions
        • Hearing/Written Decision
    • Selling
    • • Filling in Form DF12A
  • Other people's designs
  • • Objecting
    • • Cancel or invalidate
      • Rectify a registered design
    • Using and buying designs
    • • Licensing
      • Certified & Uncertified copies
      • Infringing
      • Transferring ownership
  • Forms and fees
  • • PDF and Word versions
• Patents
• • Applying
  • • Should you apply?
    • • Other protection
      • • Confidential disclosure agreements
        • Geographic indications
        • • Geographic indications in Europe
        • Plant breeders rights
        • Trade secrets
      • Requirements for patent protection
      • Is your idea/invention new?
      • • Patentability search
        • • Case study
        • Search databases
      • Are you the legal owner of your invention?
      • Further advice
      • • Business advice
        • • Grant assessment search
        • Inventor advice
      • Should I apply abroad?
      • • Certified and uncertified copies
    • How much does it cost?
    • • Methods of payment
      • Filling in the FS2
    • How to apply
    • • Filling in the application form
      • Abstract
      • Claims
      • Description
      • Drawings
      • Using academic papers to apply for a patent
      • International exhibitions
      • International application, entry to national phase
      • Applying for patents on-line
      • • Web filing
        • • Enhancements to forms
          • UK patent online - guidance
          • UK patent online-check list
          • Online form
          • Electronic uncertified copies
          • Filing forms and/or documents
          • Check list
          • On-line form
        • Requesting entry into UK national phase
        • • PDF documents
          • Check list
          • Online NP1 form
        • epoline®
        • • Filling in the form
        • PCT-Safe
      • Statement of inventorship
      • Biological material
    • After you apply
    • • Extension of time
      • • Examples of common requests
      • Request for substantive examination
      • PPH
      • • UK and Japan
        • • How to make a request
        • UK and US
        • • How to make a request
      • Request for search
      • • How we search
        • • Search databases
      • SPCs
      • • Does your invention meet SPC requirements?
        • Apply for a SPC
        • • How to fill in form SP1
      • Reinstatement
      • Timeline
      • National security
      • • Guidance
  • The decision making process
  • • Patent law and how we interpret it
    • • Patent law
      • • Directions
        • • Pending Patent Applications
          • Uncertified copies
          • Hours of business
          • Patent Forms
          • Patents Forms 20 and 54
          • effective from 17 December 2007
          • Withdrawal of patent applications by email
          • Requesting an extension of time by email
          • Submitting observations concerning the patentability of an invention
          • Submitting post-grant amendments by email
          • Submitting Opinion observations by email
          • Revoked directions
          • Variation of direction on specifying e-mail address
          • Directions under section 124A of the Patents Act 1977 in line with the Patents Rules 2007
          • effective from 31 March 2008
      • New Patent Rules
      • Translation requirements
      • Changes in UK patent law
      • • Methods of treatment or diagnosis
        • Post-grant amendment
        • Prior art
      • Work manuals
      • • Biotechnological inventions
        • Formalities
        • Hearings
        • Litigation
        • • Archive
        • Medical inventions
        • Patent practice
        • • Sections 1 to 132
          • Sections 274 - 281 & 285 - 295
      • Tribunal practice notices
      • • 2008
        • • TPN 1/2008
        • 2007
        • • TPN 6/2007
          • TPN 5/2007
          • TPN 4/2007
          • TPN 3/2007
          • TPN 2/2007
          • TPN 1/2007
        • 2006
        • • TPN 2/2006
          • TPN 1/2006
        • 2005
        • • TPN 1/2005
        • 2004
        • • TPN 6/2004
          • TPN 5/2004
          • TPN 4/2004
          • TPN 3/2004
          • TPN 2/2004
          • TPN 1/2004
        • 2003
        • • TPN 1/2003
        • 2002
        • • TPN 1/2002
        • 2001
        • • TPN 2/2001
          • TPN 1/2001
        • 2000
        • • TPN 5/2000
          • TPN 4/2000
          • TPN 3/2000
          • TPN 2/2000
          • TPN 1/2000
      • Practice notices
      • • Patentability
        • • Case studies
          • Case 1
          • Case 2
          • Case 3
          • Case 4
          • President of the EPO's letter to Jacob LJ
        • Patentability
        • Divisional applications
        • Patentability of games
        • Methods of doing business
        • • Annex
        • Inventions involving human embryonic stem cells
        • Amending the Specification of a Patent
      • Changes in UK patent law as a result of EPC 2000 implementation
      • Patents Convention Country Orders
      • Inventive step
    • How we classify - Patent Classifications
    • • UKC key
      • • Section A
        • Section B
        • Section C
        • Section D
        • Section E
        • Section F
        • Section G
        • Section H
        • Documentation Record
        • • Section A: Human Necessities
          • Section B: Performing Operations
          • Section C: Chemistry, Metallurgy
          • Section D: Textiles, Paper
          • Section E: Civil Engineering, Building Accessories
          • Section F: Mechanics, Lighting, Heating
          • Section G: Instrumentation
          • Section H: Electricity
          • Introduction
        • Unit Introductions
      • IPC key
    • Hearings and decisions
    • • Hearings
      • • What is a hearing?
        • Type of hearing
        • • Costs
        • Request a hearing
        • Preparing for a hearing
        • • Evidence
        • Hearings diary
      • Appealing a decision
      • Results of past decisions
      • • Decision result
        • Search
  • Find patents
  • • Using esp@cenet
    • By patent number
    • By publication
    • • results
      • error
    • By SPC number
    • • Patents RSPC
      • Patents RSPC
    • Using our expert search services
    • • Patentability search
      • • Case study
      • Freedom to operate search
      • • Case study
      • Validity search
      • • Case study
      • Grant assessment search
      • • Case study
      • Contact us
      • Search databases
    • How we classify - Patent Classifications
  • Journal
  • • Searchable Patents Journal
    • • UK applications filed
      • • Help notes
      • UK applications published
      • • Help notes
      • UK applications granted
      • • Help notes
      • EP/UK patents
      • • Help notes
      • UK ceased expired and terminated
      • • Help notes
      • Other proceedings
      • • Help notes
      • SPCs
      • • Help notes
      • Corrections
      • • Help notes
      • Errata
      • • Help notes
      • Search help notes
    • Downloadable Patents Journal
    • • Help notes
    • Patents Journal data coverage
    • Patent Journal Notices
    • • Special Notices
      • • 2008
    • Pre-April 2008 Patents and Designs Journals
    • • PDJ customer feedback results
      • 2008
      • 2007
      • 2006
      • 2005
      • 2004
      • 2003
      • 2002
      • 2001
      • 2000
      • 1999
      • 1998
  • Managing your patents
  • • Changing and renewing
    • • Transferring ownership
      • Appointing or changing an attorney
      • Change your name or address
      • Correcting errors
      • Cancelling
      • Amendments after grant
      • • Application Notice N244
        • Sending electronically
        • Setting out amendments
      • Renewing
      • • Late renewal
        • Late grant
      • Restoration
    • Using and enforcing
    • • Licensing
      • • Licence of right
        • Cancelling a licence of right