Types of Intellectual property

· Patents

· Trademarks

· Copyrights

· Geographical indications

· Industrial designs

· Trade secrets

· New plant variety

·Layout design for integrated circuits

A Trademark is a distinctive sign that identifies certain goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. It may be one or a combination of words, letters, and numerals. They may consist of drawings, symbols, three- dimensional signs such as the shape and packaging of goods, audible signs such as music or vocal sounds, fragrances, or colours used as distinguishing features. It provides protection to the owner of the mark by ensuring the exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services, or to authorize another to use it in return for payment. The initial term of registration is 10 years; thereafter it may be renewed from time to time.

'Copyright' is a legal term describing rights given to creators for their literary and artistic works. The kinds of works covered by copyright includes literary works such as novels, poems, plays, reference works, newspapers and computer programs; databases; films, musical compositions, and choreography; artistic works such as paintings, drawings, photographs and sculpture; architecture; advertisements, maps and technical drawings. Creators often sell the rights to their works to individuals or companies that are best able to market their works in return for a payment. These payments are often made depending on the actual use of the work, and are referred to as royalties. Such economic rights have a time limit, i.e., throughout the lifetime of the author and an additional sixty year period, counted from the year following the death of the author.

Geographical Indication, abbreviated as 'GI', are signs used on goods that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation, owing to a specific place of origin. They may also highlight specific qualities of a product, which are due to human factors that can be found in the place of origin of the products, such as specific manufacturing skills and traditions. It is fundamental here that the product derives its qualities and reputation from that particular place. The Place of origin may be a village, town, a region or a country as a whole. Geographical Indication brings with itself an exclusive right to the particular community. Hence, the benefits of its registration are shared by all members of the community.

Industrial designs refer to the creative activity, which results in the ornamental or formal appearance of a product. Design rights refer to a new or an original design that is accorded to the proprietor of a validly registered design. Industrial designs are an element of intellectual property and are hence protected by the Intellectual Property Rights.

A Trade secret may be any confidential business information that provides an enterprise with a competitive edge. Usually, these are manufacturing and commercial secrets. They may include sales methods, distribution methods, consumer profiles, and advertising strategies, lists of suppliers and clients, and manufacturing processes. Trade secrets can be protected for an unlimited period of time, however, a substantial element of secrecy must exist, to such an extent that, unless by the use of improper means, there would be difficulty in acquiring the information.

The New Plant variety produced by a farmer is also considered as an Intellectual property and the same is protected by the IPR. The objective of giving protection to such a farmer, is to recognize the role of farmers as cultivators and conservers and cognize the contribution of the traditional, rural and tribal communities to the country‘s agrobiodiversity. Giving IPR to such farmers is a means of rewarding them for their contribution and stimulating investment for R & D, for the development of new plant varieties, thereby facilitating the growth of the seed industry. The duration of protection of the registered verities of plant, ranges from 15 to 18 years, based on the plant.

Layout design for integrated circuits: The Essence of layout design of a semi-conductor integrated circuit is that, it is a layout of transistors and other circuitry elements, which constitutes of lead wires, connecting such element, exhibited in any manner in semiconductor integrated circuits. Such layout designs help in improving the functional performance of electronic gadgets and hence, are protected by the IPR. The protection given to such layout designs is usually valid up to 10 years