EN 
CN IP Protection
Patent
Protects inventions that offer solutions to technical problems
Industrial Design
Protects ornamental or aesthetic aspects of industrial products
Trademark
Protects distinctive signs which identify certain goods or services
Copyright
Protects original expressions of ideas reduced to material forms
What is Copyright ?
Copyright is a legal term used to describe the rights that creators have over their literary, artistic, musical, dramatic and sound recording works.
Works covered by copyright range from books, music, paintings, sculpture, and films, to computer programs, databases, advertisements, maps, and technical drawings.
Copyright Protection Criteria
A work that is eligible is protected automatically upon fulfilment of the following conditions:-
ORIGINALITY | REDUCED TO MATERIAL FORM | QUALIFIED PERSON |
|---|---|---|
-Sufficient effort has been
expected to make the work original in character; | -the work has been written down, recorded
or reduced to a material form; | -the author is a qualified person
or the work is made in Berne
Convention countries or the work
is first published in Berne Convention
countries |
-Sufficient effort has been
expected to make the work original in character;
-the work has been written down, recorded
or reduced to a material form;
-the author is a qualified person
or the work is made in Berne
Convention countries or the work
is first published in Berne Convention
countries
Copyright Protection Procedure
Automatic Protection – Under the Berne Convention an author’s work is given automatic copyright protection on its creation. There are no formalities to register a copyright.
Statutory Declaration – In common law jurisdictions, it is possible to formalize copyright protection by way of Statutory Declarations
Copyright Recordation – In some countries, it is possible to do copyright recordation with national copyright offices.
© symbol – As protection of copyright is automatic, it is advisable to use the © symbol to notify the general public about ownership of a copyright work.
Under the Berne Convention an author’s work is given automatic copyright protection on its creation. There are no formalities to register a copyright.
In common law jurisdictions, it is possible to formalize copyright protection by way of Statutory Declarations
In some countries, it is possible to do copyright recordation with national copyright offices.
As protection of copyright is automatic, it is advisable to use the © symbol to notify the general public about ownership of a copyright work.
The Scope of Copyright Protection
Generally, owners of copyright works have the exclusive rights to control:
The Duration of Copyright Protection
The Berne Convention stipulates that the duration of the term for copyright protection is the life of the author plus at least 50 years after his death. For some categories of works, the minimum duration is shorter. For example, the minimum term for applied art is 25 years. Movies have a minimum term of 50 years. Countries are of course free to choose a longer term of protection. Most countries have done so. Worldwide map of copyright term length is attached
