How do we protect the designs of consumer electronics?

Question

For designs of consumer wearables and other electronics items, what is a good IP strategy? The underlying technology can be protected by patents, but what is the best avenue for the pure design of the product? Would we have to register the designs somehow internationally? Or are they protected under copyright?

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Answers: 2 public & 0 private

Steven weinrieb
Patent Attorney

APPLE is a good example of protecting many of their consumer products by means of design patents. Since patents are territorial, you need protection in individual countries or groups of countries. One group, for example, is the Office For Harmonization In The Internal/International Market which is a European group. Whether a particular design could be the subject of copyright protection, you would need to consult an IP professional.

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