How are intellectual property rights (IPR) infringed?

Regarding intellectual property law, is copyright infringement theft?

A person’s or company’s \intellectual property rights are infringed when someone else uses their intellectual property in ways that only the intellectual property owner has the right to do.

Here is how the four types of intellectual property can be infringed:

-Copyright is infringed when someone copies, records, publishes, distributes, publicly displays or performs, or makes derivative works of someone else’s creative work without permission.

-Trademark rights are infringed when someone uses a competitor’s trademark (or a confusingly similar one) to brand their own product or service.

-Patent rights are infringed when someone makes, uses, or sells, without permission, an invention for which someone else hold’s the patent.

-Trade secrets are infringed when someone publicly reveals a company’s confidential information.

Depending on each jurisdiction’s laws, there may be certain factors considered or exceptions made when determining whether or not intellectual property rights have actually been infringed.

Source: David Mullich

If you're looking for an affordable IP attorneys in Vietnam, check out ANTLawyers.vn was established to meet these needs by providing fast, effective and economical solutions. Hope that clears things up a bit. Feel free to message me directly to chat further about any other IP questions that you face.

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When should a startup file for a trademark?

You should register your mark when your product already gives profit. So, when the expenses are lower than income, you should start protecting your name from the competitors.

Trademark Law Firm in Vietnam

While there exist a possibility that somebody would register the same mark for the same product, it is highly unlikely. Because:

The chances that some other person in the same country decides to register the same brand name, having no knowledge about your business, is close to 0;

If somebody else, knowing about your brand, registers it wishing to sell you the mark or illegally disrupt your business, you can sue them in court (on the grounds of bad faith).

I have seen cases, when people just at the beginning of their business invested high money in the intellectual property matters, but unfortunately, the business later failed. I believe, at the beginning there are always better fields to invest money.

You already have some-kind of protection:

While you must have knowledge about existing intellectual property rights (not to be sued yourself), protecting your own trademark can go to the second plan. Furthermore, even if trademarks are not protected without registration, there are still some legal grounds that protects you. For example:

A person who has used legally the mark before someone else registered it (legally, of cause), cannot be prevented to continue using the mark for the same scope (same goods and same territory);

If your trademark is not a generic term but an inventive word or a specific graphical image, it will be protected by the copyright law. And the copyright law does not need any registration, it is gained automatically once an original work is created. If you are a pharma company, do it, before you tell the name loud:

But, the need to register or not a trademark also depends a lot on the field where your business operates. For example, drugs industry is especially sensitive for all IP matters (patents, trademarks…). So, in this field I advice to register a mark as soon as possible. Because in the pharmaceuticals industry, the competition is really tough and it is better to have all IP protection you can.

Additional advices:

-Check for prior trademarks;

-Do not use any mark that is similar to the well-known brands (so NO “Aple”; “Cola-coca”, etc.);

-Better use a distinctive word, phrase, logo - you have stronger IP protection.

ANT Lawyers - A Law firm in Vietnam is supported by a team of experienced patent, trademark, design attorneys with qualification and skills handling full range of legal services relating to intellectual property rights in Vietnam.  We have specialized in the preparation and registration of patents, trademarks and designs for our clients.

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What is "intellectual property"?

Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce.

Intellectual property rights are the rights given to persons over these creations. They usually give the creator an exclusive right over the use of his/her creation for a certain period of time. IP is protected in law by patents, copyright and trademarks, which enable people to earn recognition or financial benefit from what they invent or create.

Infringements of intellectual property rights in Vietnam

Have a look at some of the most common forms of intellectual property protected bylegal provisions, along with their unique characteristics

Trademark

•           Applies to: Words, logos, slogans

•           Applicant: Business owners

•           Validity: Indefinite, but to be renewed every 10 years

•           Ownership without registration? Limited Rights for unregistered Trademark holders

Copyright

•           Applies to: Photographs, movies, music, software code

•           Applicant: Artists & creative professionals, primarily but anyone can apply

•           Validity: Lifetime of the author, plus 60 years

•           Ownership without registration? Yes, but with qualifications. Limited Rights.

Patent

•           Applies to: Inventions & ideas

•           Applicant: Inventors & designers

•           Validity: 20 years

•           Ownership without registration? No

Provisional Patent

•           Applies to: Inventions & ideas

•           Applicant: Inventors & designers

•           Validity: 1 Year

•           Ownership without registration? No

Other than these three* primary types, Trade Secrets are also a form of intellectual property. What are those? Trade secrets typically rely on private measures to be protected rather than state action. A trade secret is any information that helps make the operation and functioning of a business or any other enterprise smoother. The secret maybe a formula, process of manufacturing, list of customers or a pattern of machines. An intellectual work is not a trade secret if it is generally known within the industry, published in journals, books, etc.

Businesses and enterprises usually ask new employees to sign a contract to safeguard their trade secrets before letting them join. However, anon-disclosure clause may be added to the contract whereby the employee is not supposed to ‘disclose’, reveal or share any of the company’s trade secrets.

*Provisional patent serves as a preliminary to the permanent patent, and one must apply for a permanent patent grant within 12 months of applying for a provisional patent.

If you’re looking to read more about intellectual property then head to the Answers page on the website ANTLawyers.vn. Also, we have pre-vetted, experienced Intellectual Property Lawyers in Vietnam available to complete any IP work you need done for an affordable price. Good luck!

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