Industrial design

Industrial design is an applied art whereby the aesthetics and usability of products may be improved. Design aspects specified by the industrial designer may include the overall shape of the object, the location of details with respect to one another, colors, texture, sounds, and aspects concerning the use of the product ergonomics. Additionally the industrial designer may specify aspects concerning the production process, choice of materials and the way the product is presented to the consumer at the point of sale. The use of industrial designers in a product development process may lead to added values by improved usability, lowered production costs and more appealing products.

Registered industrial designs

An industrial design can be protected in most countries as intellectual property. In some cases it can be protected also or as an alternative under copyright law. Generally registration must be made in each country in which protection is sought. However some countries (39 nations in 2005) have entered into the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Deposit of Industrial Designs which provides for mutual recognition of registered industrial designs. The Hague Agreement is administered by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), an agency of the United Nations.

Related Topics:
Intellectual property - Copyright - Registration - Hague Agreement Concerning the International Deposit of Industrial Designs - World Intellectual Property Organization - WIPO - Agency of the United Nations

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Industrial design under Canadian law

Under the Law of Canada, until it is put into production a design may for purposes of copyright be considered a work of art; it may also be registered under the Industrial Design Act of Canada http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/sc_mrksv/cipo/id/faq_id-e.html#1 http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/I-9/index.html as an industrial design which gives exclusive rights for 10 years, After it is put into production, more than 50 produced, copyright protection lapses, leaving protection available only as an industrial design which must be registered. In Canada a product which incorporates a registered industrial design may be marked on the article, its label or packaging by a "D" in a circle and the name of the owner of the design.

Related Topics:
Law of Canada - Copyright - Work of art - Registered - Industrial Design Act of Canada

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