Intellectual Property Law and Innovation

The rules of intellectual property law prevent competitors from imitating certain aspects of innovation appearance or function of products. This book brings together all those rules of intellectual property in a practical format, clarifying the various options open for the monopolisation of innovative products.

This book covers the areas of intellectual property law that are most relevant to both product and technological innovation. It surveys intellectual property law relevant to protecting or monopolising the novel visual appearance, as well as the novel functions and substantive characteristics of products. Intellectual Property Law and Innovation deals with copyright laws as relevant to computers, the visual design of products, registered design laws, patent laws and the law relating to computer chip layout. It also examines aspects of passing off and trademark laws relevant to product appearance. The role of these different areas of law is examined from the perspective of innovation theory, as well as from the perspective of innovation strategy and public policy. This book takes a comparative approach, but focuses principally on the law in English speaking jurisdictions, especially Australia.