Re: KAT5 Website Updated

["PatrickLidstone" <patrickl@xxxxxxx>]

--- In ukha_d@y..., "Mark McCall" <mark@a...> wrote:
> MessagePersonally I know little or nothing about
copyright/patenting.  But I wonder is it even possible to patent this
idea?  You can buy similar products from many different companies -
although none that are any where near Keith's prices!  If the product
was being "formalised" in this way it also brings up the subject
of
CE approval - which costs thousands.
>
> Also, say a company in the US started to produce something very
similar in the morning - would Keith have the resources to fight a
large company in a foreign country?
>
> So...I recon copyrighting KAT5 would be either impossible, or un-
enforceable.

You cannot copyright a "thing" you can only copyright a design
(i.e.
a piece of writing, drawing or similar). Copyright is implicit in any
material so created, although it helps avoid future problems over
ownership if this is explicitly stated.

The criteria for a patent are more complex. Basically the invention
has to demonstrate a novelty (a unique approach to a design problem)
and invention in solving that problem. I'm not a patent lawyer, but
suspect that Keith may struggle to find a novel aspect to his design
(no prior art exists) which is actually worthwhile patenting (in that
it is wide enough to offer "me too" type protection). This is
more a
reflection on the patent process than Keith's ingenuity... but that's
the way it is. Once a UK patent has been lodged - at a cost of around
5-6K usually - this provides European/international protection for
only a further 18 months without further heavyweight expenditure. So
timing can be everything in these cases...
Anyway, Keith will get much sounder advice by seeing a professional
patent agent ;-) - and it won't cost him a thing initially...

Patrick