Designs & Copyright

What information do you need to register a design?

To register a design, you will need to know who the original authors of the design are, who is going to own the registration, and you will need images that show the design.

Your images should:

  • show the design as it appears to the eye, using photographs, line drawings, computer-aided design (CAD) or rendered CAD;
  • show the design against a plain background, with no details hidden by shadows or reflections;
  • not contain measurements or other technical information;
  • not include anything that isn’t part of the design, for example another object or your hand;
  • be the same type, for example, all line drawings or all photographs, not a mixture;
  • include the complete pattern and enough to show how the pattern repeats, if you want to register a surface pattern.

The images used in a design registration define the protection it confers. The choice of images used can dramatically affect the protection conferred, and thus the value of the registration. A patent attorney can advise on the appropriate images to use and help develop a design filing strategy with a view to maximising protection for your design.

In some territories, including the UK and EU, you can include multiple designs in one application which leads to a cost per design saving.

If you are interested in registered design protection, please get in touch to speak to a member of our team about how we can help you.

Wilson Gunn