“There is no such thing as a new idea. It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them a turn, and they make new and curious combinations. We keep on turning and making new combinations indefinitely, but they are the same old pieces of colored glass that have been in use through all the ages.”

― Mark Twain

 

Working on that basis then, how do you protect your ideas from being stolen and used by others? You will need to consider the many ways that you can protect your intellectual properties, and in some cases, you’ll need to pull out the big guns from intellectual property consulting firms. 

 

In general intellectual property, protection isn’t as complicated as it might sound. But it is something that you need to look into.

 

Photo by Ben Koorengevel on Unsplash

 

What Is Intellectual Property Protection?

You will use IP law to protect your creations and ideas from unfair competition. IP actually covers unique items that you have created that will give you an economic benefit. You are going to need to know what parts of your work are going to need protection because if you need to file repeatedly, it can get expensive pretty quickly. 

 

• Decide which of your ideas or creations fall into specific protection options
• File quickly to reduce the chances of someone else doing it 
• Seek information on international patents too

 

Types

There are a few areas that you are going to use to protect your business.  

Patents – Utility, design, and plant. Patents will block other companies and individuals from making, selling, or using your ideas and products in any way. You will need to fill in a patent application to get the coverage.

 

Trade Secrets

This is the thing that makes your product different from everyone else. It could be the design; it might be the process you use to create the product; it could be a device. Whatever it is, it gives you an edge. 

Examples:

• Survey results
• Makeup formula
• Software algorithms

So while you can’t obtain protection by registering a trade secret, you can have protection for as long as necessary to control the disclosure of that information. NDAs, restricted access, and restrictive contracts are things you will need to put in place. 

 

Trademarks

Trademarks will protect a symbol, design, word, or phrase that sets your idea and products apart from others. If you had to choose a few companies that stand out from their logo alone, you might think about the Nike Swoosh. You can use a trademark search to help you work out if what you want to apply for is already registered. For the application, you will need a clear representation of the mark and identify the class of services or goods that the mark will apply to. And while there are fees involved, you will get a 10-year mark from it, so it is worth your time. 

 

And finally, of course, you can copyright many different works. You will need to see if what you produce falls into a category that qualifies, but it is a vital protection technique too.