Intellectual property is something that you create using your mind – for example, a story, an invention, an artistic work or a symbol. Intellectual property can have more than one owner, belong to people or businesses and be sold or transferred. PACRA Intellectual Property office enables you to register the following:
- Trade marks – A trademark is a distinctive sign/mark that identifies certain goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. It may be one or a combination of words, letters, and numerals. They may consist of drawings, symbols, three dimensional signs such as the shape and packaging of goods.
- Patents – A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention, which may be a product or process that provides a new way of doing something, or offers a new technical solution to a problem.
- Industrial Designs – An industrial design means features of a shape, configuration, pattern, or ornament applied to an article which appeals to the eye.
- Traditional Knowledge – Traditional knowledge is defined under the Act as “any knowledge, not limited to a specific subject area, technical or medical field associated with genetic resources, originating from a traditional community, individual or group that is the result of intellectual activity and insight in a traditional context and where the knowledge is embodied in the traditional lifestyle of a traditional community or is codified in knowledge systems and passed on from one generation to another”
- Geographical Indicators (GI) – GI are signs used on goods that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that place of origin.
- Copyrights – copyright is concerned with protecting the work of the human intellect. The domain of copyright is the protection of literary and artistic works. These include writings, music, and works of the fine arts, such as paintings and sculptures, and technology-based works such as computer programs and electronic databases.
Intellectual Property registration summary
| Type of protection | The intellectual property it covers | Time to allow for application |
| Trade mark Registration | Product names, brand, logos, jingles, signature, numeral or any combination | 4 months |
| Industrial Design Registration | Appearance of a product, including its shape, packaging, patterns, decoration | 4 months |
| Copyright Registration | Writing and literary works, art, photography, films, TV, music, sound, recordings, web content, software | 14 working days |
| Patent Registration | Inventions and products, for example machines | 7 months |