IPR basics

What are patents, trademarks and design rights? How does one apply for them, and what do I need to know beforehand? Check out this series of articles from our experts for a rundown on the basics of IPR.

Patent

A patent protects your invention. It is an exclusive right that allows you to restrict others from exploiting your invention commercially.

Trademark

A trademark is a sign that distinguishes the products and services of your company from those of your competitors, functioning as a distinctive symbol in the market.

Utility model

A utility model is a fast way to protect your invention. Similar to a patent, it enables you to restrict the commercial use of your invention by others.

Design right

A design right protects the industrial design of your product, or a part or detail of it. A registered design is an exclusive right that allows you to prohibit others from using your design.

Unitary Patent

A Unitary Patent (UP) is a new type of European patent that has unitary effect in the member states of the EU participating the Unitary Patent system.

Frequently asked questions

Our patent attorneys answer the most commonly asked questions – such as, can one patent a software program, and what is the difference between the ® and ™ symbols?

News

Optitune and Merck sign Agreement on Foldable OLED Displays

Our client Optitune Oy has signed an important distribution agreement with the German company Merck to bring functional hard coatings for foldable OLED Displays to the market.

News | 4.12.2020

Person skilled in the art

“A person of average skill in the art” is a well-known term in the field of patenting. This term is used to define an imaginary person, whose level of knowledge is utilized in comparisons in different contexts, to define the common level of knowledge in a specific technical field.

News | 30.11.2020

The problem-solution approach in determining inventive step

In order to be inventive, an invention should not be obvious to a person skilled in the art. The term “obvious” is, in turn, typically defined by evaluating whether a particular development is to be seen as a part of the expected progress of the relevant technology, or whether it could be considered unexpected.

News | 23.11.2020