Types of IP

There are many simple way of protecting your ideas and business. If you have an idea but you are not sure whether the idea is new, you can use the free patents database to check whether your idea already exists or to identify existing ideas thought by others to help develop it on your own.

There are no “hard-and-fast” rules in developing your ideas. You may licence-in other people’s technology to help develop ideas of yours or collaborate with other businesses or educational organisations. But remember, if you have spoken to another person about your ideas, make sure that you have signed a confidentiality agreement with the other person first.

Patent: You could file for a patent to protect your technology from your competitors but be cautious not to disclose your idea before filing your patent. A patent owner may licence your technology to other businesses.

Industrial Design: If the design of your product is unique and makes you stand out from other designs in the market, you could file your designs to protect it.

Copyright: Original, creative and artistic works are automaticallly covered by copyright. The simplest way to ensure that you are the author of the copyright is to first make a photocopy of your work and then send by registered post or AR registered post, the sealed original work to your own address. Make sure that you do not open the seal and keep the work in a safe place. In the event if there is a need to prove that you are the author or the copyright, the sealed original work could be use to show that you are the first author.

Trade Mark: Registering your company name with Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) does not guarantee that your company name is protected. As the name and brand is a valuable asset to your business, you should protect it by registering it as a trade mark. Most businesses now operate by website and you should specifically assign the copyright back to you as the web devvelopers will retain the copyright of any of the work.

Confidentiality Agreement: If you do not manufacture your products in-house, make sure that you protect yourself with a confidentiality agreement so that your products can’t be copied.