2007年12月13日 星期四

如何保護知識產權

昨天構思了一個Board Game,有Board的設計和玩法(Rules),本想公開和大家討論,但就是未能解決如何保護這設計的知識產權.

有兩個問題,就是如何防止被別人告,和如何保護這遊戲的知識產權.昨天我到會展SME Expose,順便問下知識產權署的人,她好像不太了解,答覆是Board Game要到法國英國的某某協會申請保護,或可以電郵給他們查詢.

香港不是要發展創意產業嗎?這個重要的法律問題,要去到其他國家才能解決嗎?




最簡單的辦法,就是香港政府有一毎專門部門(例如知識產權署),接受我們提交Board Game的設計和玩法,他們不需要去證明有沒有類似的遊戲,只要當有人告我,或有別人抄襲我的設計,可以作日期證明,就是我提交的日期.

以上不是可以找律師待辦嗎? 律師要收費,而且那個律師的說服力夠香港政府呢?,香港政府要鼓勵我們創作,就要做好配套,付出一點點力,而且只是一個資料庫的記載吧,收一千以下行政費也合理(像我之前$1300註冊商標).

以Board Game為例, 我的設計可能己有人設計先, 這個我輸得心服口服, 但如果我是首創, 但被人抄襲註冊 (日期比我發表遲), 然後告我侵權, 那就不值了. 所以在我公開遊戲的玩法前,我必須保護它的知識產權.

以上其實都可以應用在其他創意產業,例如我開發的MemDB會計系統,最怕就是有人抄襲系統的所有介面和流程設計,然後反告我侵權.香港政府可否幫我儲存一份介面設計和說明書,做我的時間證人呢? 難道又要叫我一個小小公司,請律師樓保存MemDB幾十套的系統呢?

其實香港政府在鼓勵大家發展創意產業領域,有很多事可以提供協助,例如如果Board Game真的要到別國申請保護,她可以提供待辦和協助,如果有人告到來,也應提供援手,最後也可以幫我們保護知識產權, 作我們的後盾,令到香港這班創作人,可以專心創作,希望香港政府可以考慮我的建議.

(如果香港政府沒有解決方案,不知大家有沒有任何建議?或有沒有專業處理以上法律問題的律師介紹呢? 收費和步驟如何?)

相關文章:

1) 建議政府成立知識產權庫

19 則留言:

  1. 其實一點做好就行了,自我保護意識強一些!

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  2. 要睇返你係邊類型的保護......
    個腦轉唔到, 唔記得咩係board game... [類似波子棋類的棋????]
    如果係版權 (copy right) 就唔係太清楚...
    屬專利的話 (patent for invention / patent for utility model), 要有詳細的specification, 如description, claims等等, 仲要喺做埋patent search, 不過除非你隻patent已在英國/中國/歐盟(但designated states包括埋英國), 你就可以喺香港申請"standard patent", 否則就係short-term patent...
    若屬個"殼" 的話則是design...
    想知有冇侵權, 則要做search, 包括 "件貨賣的國家", "件貨的"生產國"

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  3. p.s. 有時我哋打落去註冊處問, 都間歇唔知佢答乜(好似遊緊花園咁), 所以我習慣係知要咩資料後打俾佢, 當佢帶我遊花園的時候捉住埋啲points唔放...
    有時間你可參閱
    Patents Ordiance
    Registered Designs Ordinance
    去department of justice你可找到有關information

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  4. 想不到, 我竟然又是在其他人的blog看到一條link, 留咗個msg喺嗰篇文章後才在自家blog看到留言 :p
    這次你要謝謝藍秋哥哥, 若不是看到你那新topic, 我不會過來啊, 畢竟, 我是逛人家blog多遊自己blog少 :p

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  5. 我也有心創業,也怕抄襲。但其實問心果句,最怕既係競爭。
    查實又有邊個行業係會無兩間或以上雷同既廠商丫?
    現實係,再無敵既idea都係一文不值。邊個可以成功sell 到個idea,邊個就值錢。所以我覺得Marketing對一間公司真係極重要。
    而且軟件公司要做既事除左開發產品以外,亦要防範被對手跟進、提高市場進入門檻、保持競爭優勢。點解OSX10.5死都要 Vista 出左之後先推出? 可能就係因為要避免copy,為自己爭取時間! 所以一間軟件公司除了有programmer外,仲會需要各式各樣既人存在。
    睇過好多外國創業文章,都提及過,專利只能証明你有能力成功申請專利。想靠專利保護你? 想都別想...官師都打死你。
    PS:香港知識產權係由講出口既一刻起,即使原作者並未意識到有這樣的權利。所以貴站上每篇文章都在知識產權的保護之下,即使你未申請任何專利。

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  6. 雪晴 : p.s. 有時我哋打落去註冊處問, 都間歇唔知佢答乜(好似遊緊花園咁), 所以我習慣係知要咩資料後打俾佢, 當佢帶我遊花園的時候捉住埋啲points唔放...有時間你可參閱Patents OrdianceRegistered Designs Ordinance去department of justice你可找到有關information
    雪晴, 你是律師嗎? 我很需要這方面的資料和協助, 不知你能否幫我呢? 謝謝你提供的資料.

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  7. 家儒, 我都很不想搞法律, 但不理不可以, 到問題出現了, 就夠煩了.
    最基本都要有辦法去證明創意是由我首創, 亦要法律接受, 在Blog(尤其是sinablog日期可以改), 法律上未必接受.
    以Board Game為例, 我設計的可能己有人設計先, 這個我輸得心服, 但如果是我首創, 但被人抄襲註冊 (日期比我發表遲), 然後告我侵權, 那就不值了.

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  8. Copyright => Rights to produce a copy of values, rights?

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  9. copyright保障甚麼類型的作品已在法例中列明,記憶所及,boardgame不受copyright的
    boardgame說明書就受copyright保障
    另外,patent與copyright是2個concept來的.

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  10. Enoch :
    雪晴, 你是律師嗎? 我很需要這方面的資料和協助, 不知你能否幫我呢? 謝謝你提供的資料.
    我不是律師 (如果係就好lu, 唔駛再執時間溫書... :( )
    頭先出咗街, 諗諗吓, 你個game的rules可能 (可能咋) 係patent的範疇, 至於本身個game的 "殼" 則屬 design...
    都要開工做嘢......或者今晚再詳細少少deal你的問題啦 ;)

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  11. 雪晴 : 要睇返你係邊類型的保護......個腦轉唔到, 唔記得咩係board game... [類似波子棋類的棋????]例如大富翁和之前提到的現金流遊戲.,波子棋類都可以(不過棋盤己定,但有新的玩法).

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  12. 雪晴 :
    Enoch :雪晴, 你是律師嗎? 我很需要這方面的資料和協助, 不知你能否幫我呢? 謝謝你提供的資料.
    我不是律師 (如果係就好lu, 唔駛再執時間溫書... :( )
    頭先出咗街, 諗諗吓, 你個game的rules可能 (可能咋) 係patent的範疇, 至於本身個game的 "殼" 則屬 design...
    都要開工做嘢......或者今晚再詳細少少deal你的問題啦 ;)
    大家一起找答案吧,我都電郵去問知識產權署和一些律師,希望可以找到解決辦法.

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  13. Hi Enoch and all.
    There are 4 kinds intellectual properties rights:
    1. Patent
    2. Copyright
    3. Design
    4. Trademark
    1. Patents are registrable in the Hong Kong SAR. In order to apply to register a standard patent, you need to register in PRC, UK or EU first. Short term patent require no prior registration in other countries but base on, inter alia, a search report from the following authorities:
    a)an international searching authority under Article 16, Patent Co-operation Treaty;
    b)the State Intellectual Property Office, People's Republic of China;
    c)the European Patent Office;
    d)the United Kingdom Patent Office.
    Please note the definition of patent: "The term "patent" usually refers to a right granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof."

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  14. 2. Copyright requires NO registration in Hong Kong. In other words, you don't need to do anything at all in order to be protected in regime of copyright. You can refer to Copyright Ordinance, Cap 528 of Laws of Hong Kong.
    I would like to draw you guys' attention to section two of the said ordinance which states which kind of 'work' will be protected. They are:
    (a) original literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works;
    (b) sound recordings, films, broadcasts or cable programmes; and
    (c) the typographical arrangement of published editions.
    You must require lawyers' advice in order to know what are those definition mean and I do recommend you to do so in order to protect your rights.

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  15. 3. You need to register your product in order to protect it's design. Please note the definition of design: "Registered designs protect only the appearance of products, for example the look of a computer monitor. Registration of the design does not protect the way in which the product relating to the design works. Protection for the way in which a product works may be available under patent law. Computer software is protected under copyright law."

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  16. 4. Trademarks are required to be registered in Hong Kong. Obviously, trademark is the mark, the 'symbol' you use to conduct your business or you use for your product. For example, MemDB maybe able to registered as a registered trademark so that if other ppl try to use the name 'MemDB" for their products, you can sue them.
    However, your mark must be within one of the classification in Nice Agreement.
    Ar. I forgot, there are classifications for patent to, it's called Strasbourg Agreement.
    Hope I can help you, Enoch.
    Alex
    MSN: alex.kwan@computer.org
    PS. ENOCH: 來年會不會去你屋企拜年

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  17. Ok. forgot to conclude.
    I humbly opine that the Board Game you mentioned maybe protected under copyright law as a literal work. I really don't have idea whether you can apply for patent for your product or not. Even if you can, you MUST NOT publish it before you apply for a patent or any patent office will reject your application - in short, don't discuss your board game here if you intend to apply for patent.
    Anyway, i recommend you to have the product finished first, take it to a lawyer and seek for legal advice before disclosing any single piece of detail of it.

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  18. Alex Kwan :
    Ok. forgot to conclude.
    I humbly opine that the Board Game you mentioned maybe protected under copyright law as a literal work. I really don't have idea whether you can apply for patent for your product or not. Even if you can, you MUST NOT publish it before you apply for a patent or any patent off...
    Thank your for your advice. Do you have any laywer refer to me? I am willing to pay for service.

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