A Beginner's Guide

IP (Intellectual Property)

IP or Intellectual Property refers to a range of rights protecting intangible property that is the result of creativity such as patents or trade marks or copyrights. More

Patents

Patents are intellectual property rights that can be used to protect inventions such as articles, devices, and methods of doing things. However, not all "inventions" are eligible for patent protection ... More

Trade Marks

A trade mark is a sign which distinguishes one person's goods or services from those of others. The trade mark must be capable of being represented graphically and may comprise a brand, colour, device, heading, label, letter, name, numeral, shape, signature, smell, sound, taste, ticket, word or combination thereof... More

Copyright

Copyright gives the creator of a work the exclusive right to allow others to use or copy that work. If you own copyright in a work, you may be entitled to acknowledgement of ownership and a payment if another party uses your work... More

Designs

Designs are intellectual property rights that can be used to protect new features in the way an article looks, for example, features of its shape, configuration, pattern or ornamentation... More

PVR (Plant Variety Rights)

Plant varieties, except algae, bacteria and fungi, which are new, distinct, stable and homogeneous, may be entitled to protection in New Zealand under the Plant Variety Rights Act... More