GOOD INTELLECTUEL PROPERTY PRACTICES

For many years, we have been supporting SMEs, large international groups and start-ups in securing their innovations and brands. Our experts, because they have worked within the European Patent Office, in industrial groups or abroad, have a perfect command of the procedures and strategies for filing patents and trademarks internationally.

This page of our site is dedicated to helping you in your daily IP actions, providing you with tips and facilitating the protection of your assets.

Cette page de notre site est dédiée à vous aider dans vos actions quotidiennes de PI, vous apporter des astuces et faciliter la protection de vos actifs.

Good practices to follow in Intellectual Property

Carry out Active Competitive Monitoring

Use monitoring tools to track your competitors’ patent, trademark and design filings like GooglePatent, EspaceNet or Trademark Vision. This allows you to stay informed of new developments in your sector and quickly detect potential counterfeits or violations of your rights. Your Alatis experts have professional tools to carry out this monitoring.

Drop Position Marks

Register positional marks to protect the specific location of a distinctive element on your products. This allows you to protect unique aspects of your design that traditional brands don’t cover. For example, the red stripe on the sole of a shoe, the placement of a logo on the pocket of a jean, or a uniquely placed mark on the handle of a tool.

Use Online Tools to Check Originality

Before launching a new design, use specialized databases and search engines, such as Google Images, TinEye, DesignView, and Global Design Database, to check if it is unique. This reduces the risk of infringement and informs you of a possible violation of the rights of a third party.

Protect your Company’s Know-How and Secrets

Implement protections for your trade secrets, such as recipes, manufacturing processes or management methods. Use non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and internal security protocols.

Participate in Certification Programs

Engage in certification programs or quality labels for your products and services. These labels can add an extra layer of protection and build recognition for your brand.

For example, you can consider:

* ISO 9001: Quality management system certification, recognized worldwide.

* European Ecolabel: Ecological label awarded to products and services that meet strict environmental criteria.

* Label Rouge: Sign of superior quality in France, often used for food products.

* UL Certification: Safety standard for products, particularly in the electrical and electronic fields.

* CE Marking: Compliance with safety, health and environmental protection standards for products sold in the European Economic Area.

* Fairtrade: Label for fair trade products, guaranteeing fair working conditions and sustainable practices.

* LEED Certification: Recognition for environmentally friendly and energy-efficient buildings.

Register Industrial Designs and Models

Protect the aesthetic appearance of your products by registering industrial designs. This covers the visual aspect of your innovations and prevents other companies from copying your design.

Use Traceability Markers

Integrate invisible markers or traceability technologies into your products. This helps you authenticate your products and easily identify counterfeits in the market.

Vous pouvez par exemple utiliser ce type de technologies :

  • Encres Invisibles : Utilisation d’encres qui ne sont visibles que sous certaines conditions, comme les rayons UV ou infrarouges.
  • Microdots : Petits points contenant des informations codées, qui peuvent être appliqués à divers produits pour une identification unique.
  • RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) : Étiquettes électroniques qui utilisent des ondes radio pour transmettre des données d’identification à un lecteur.
  • QR Codes : Codes-barres bidimensionnels qui, lorsqu’ils sont scannés, fournissent des informations détaillées sur le produit.
  • Hologrammes de Sécurité : Images tridimensionnelles difficiles à reproduire, qui changent d’apparence selon l’angle de vue.
  • Nanotechnologies : Particules nano-codées qui peuvent être intégrées dans les matériaux du produit pour une identification unique et infalsifiable.

IP TRAINING PROGRAM

Explore issues related to Intellectual Property in depth through our training program. ”Employee inventions”, ”Intellectual Property tools”, ”Software patents”, and much more.

DID YOU KNOW ?

albert einste

Albert Einstein himself held a patent, obtained in 1930, for a refrigerator without moving parts, designed in collaboration with his former student Leo Szilard.

code de logiciels à protéger en propriété intellectuelle

For software, the code can be protected by copyright while the technical solution provided by the software can be protected by a patent.

bleu tiffany protégé par un brevet en propriété intellectuelle

Some companies have managed to obtain protection for specific colors used in their branding. This is the case of Tiffany & Co. which registered the color “Tiffany Blue” or even Christian Louboutin which protects the red color used on the sole of its shoes.

A brand is not just a logo. In February 1999, Europe validated a “smell of freshly cut grass” as a brand for tennis balls.

This post is also available in: French

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