Course: New technologies and the IP system | e-learning centre

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    A new joint online lecture from the European Patent Academy and the EUIPO Academy shines a light on why intellectual property (IP) is important to protecting your business. You will explore what types of IP protection are available (trade marks, patents, etc.) and what is exempt from protection. You will also learn how patent analytics can help you to identify new technology trends and to analyse your competitors' innovation activities.

    In this video, two experts look at real-life green-tech cases, with particular focus on offshore wind energy.

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    This time we will talk how IP can protect the broad field of toys. We all have our memories of playing with toys in our childhood, but do you know which role play IP rights?

    Look at the identity of a toy: it is the result of a combination of both its visual and functional aspects. So, which aspects lead to a patent, which ones fall under the design? Or the trademarks? Are 3D shape trademarks suitable? What are the technical aspects behind a toy?

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    In this joint session, experts from EPO and EUIPO focus on the fashion industry and discuss how intellectual property (IP) rights encourage innovation and creativity and how the tools of the IP system – trademarks, design rights, patents, geographical indications and more – can support these ambitions for a greener fashion industry.

    From acting as watchdog against deceptiveness and ‘greenwashing’ to assisting the customers in the obtention of EU certification trademarks, sustainable designs or granting European patents, the experts share their experience on the growing interest in sustainability and fashion goods and services, patentable inventions regarding new process of packaging, innovative materials and new technologies used in the fashion industry.

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    Packaging combines visual appeal and functional aspects, and is often part of a product's identity. Packaging can be protected under trade mark and design law, with patents protecting any technical aspects. Interesting questions arise when these IP rights are combined: what makes an invention in packaging patentable; why are relatively few packaging shapes granted trade mark protection; where does the packaging end and the product begin?

    This lecture bring together two experts – one from the EPO and one from the EUIPO – for a lively discussion on how best to protect packaging. Our experts will look at examples and the latest case law.

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    The food industry is constantly faced with the challenges of shifting consumer trends and behaviour. Huge investments are made in research and innovation to meet the demand for products with a good taste, smell, texture, appearance and nutritional value, all while balancing production costs.

    In this lecture, EPO and EUIPO experts discuss the different IP rights suitable for protecting products in the food industry, how they can be combined, and how they complement each other in order to maximise return on investment.

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    Behind every video game, there is an intricate bundle of technical and non-technical IP rights. In the context of a rapidly evolving design, development and commercialisation landscape, identifying what to protect and how to protect it can be something of a challenge.

    This lecture features EPO and EUIPO experts giving an overview of all the IP rights that can be involved in video games. They then discuss how video games are examined in the patent world and how the technical and non-technical features are understood in accordance with the case law.

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    The speed of digital change has triggered a rise in innovative solutions for human-machine interfaces (HMI) and the need to protect them through IP rights. Depending on the nature of the solution, either a patent or a design might be better suited to grant IP protection.

    In this lecture, EPO and EUIPO experts discuss whether patents, designs or both can help you protect your innovation. The examples shown by the EPO expert are based on the following decisions: T 1567/05, T 125/04 and T 95/11.

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