Types of intellectual property: Integrated Circuit Topographies
- Patents
- Trade-marks
- Copyrights
- Industrial Designs
- Integrated Circuit Topographies
- Plant Breeders' Rights
Today's electronic integrated circuit products are constructed from a complex series of layers of semi-conductors, metals, dielectrics (insulators) and other materials on a substrate. Integrated circuit topography refers to the three-dimensional configuration of the electronic circuits used in microchips and semiconductor chips.
Registration offers you exclusive rights for up to ten years on your original circuit design. Protection can extend to the layout design as well as to the finished product. The owner may exclude others from:
- reproducing a protected topography or any substantial part of one;
- manufacturing an integrated circuit product incorporating the topography or a substantial part of one;
- importing or commercially exploiting a topography or a substantial part of one, or of an integrated circuit product that embodies a protected topography or a substantial part of one; and
- importing or commercially exploiting an industrial article which incorporates an integrated circuit product that embodies a protected topography or a substantial part of one.
A SME may also assign, license or use its integrated circuit topography right to negotiate funding.
