If a company develops a new technology that improves its main product, what type of intellectual property can they use to stop others from copying their invention?
Geographical indications.
Registered designs.
Copyright.
Patents.
Trademarks.
Patents.
To stop others from copying their invention, a company can use the intellectual property protection of patents. Patents grant exclusive rights to the inventor to prevent others from making, using, or selling the patented technology without permission. This type of protection is specifically designed for new and innovative inventions. Therefore, patents would be the appropriate form of intellectual property for a company looking to prevent others from copying their improved technology.
To protect their new technology from being copied, a company can use patents as a form of intellectual property. A patent grants the inventor exclusive rights to their invention for a specific period of time, typically 20 years. Patents are used to protect new, useful, and non-obvious inventions and give the inventor the right to prevent others from making, using, selling, or importing the patented technology without permission.
To obtain a patent, the company needs to file a patent application with the relevant patent office and meet certain criteria such as novelty, non-obviousness, and industrial applicability. The application should include a detailed description of the invention, including how it works and its technical specifications.
It's important to note that patents are jurisdiction-specific, meaning that a patent granted in one country does not automatically protect the invention in other countries. Companies seeking worldwide protection will need to file separate patent applications in each country where they desire protection. However, there are international agreements, such as the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which facilitates the process of obtaining patents in multiple countries.
Other forms of intellectual property, such as copyright, trademarks, registered designs, and geographical indications, may provide protection for different aspects of a company's products or services, but they might not be the most suitable for protecting the underlying technology or invention itself.