Module Identifier | LA32510 | |||||||||||
Module Title | INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW | |||||||||||
Academic Year | 2006/2007 | |||||||||||
Co-ordinator | Mrs Ruth D Atkins | |||||||||||
Semester | Intended for use in future years | |||||||||||
Next year offered | N/A | |||||||||||
Next semester offered | N/A | |||||||||||
Pre-Requisite | LA10110 or LA30110 or LA15710 | |||||||||||
Co-Requisite | LA15830 or LA35830 | |||||||||||
Course delivery | Lecture | 20 Hours. Two one hour lectures per week | ||||||||||
Seminars / Tutorials | 4 Hours. Seminar. Four one hour seminars during the semester | |||||||||||
Assessment |
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Professional Exemptions | Not Required for Professional Purposes |
Demonstrate an understanding of the way in which intellectual property is regulated by the law with particular reference to the policy issues behind any decisions to protect intellectual property or to consign it to the public domain. Students will acquire knowledge of the statutory provisions and case law relating to copyright, designs, patents and trade marks. From this basis students will develop the ability to critically evaluate the often conflicting interests of the creators, the rights owners and the users of intellectual property. In particular students will develop the ability to interpret and apply statutory provision to a range of situations. The module draws extensively on interpreting current legislation and as such enables the students to develop the ability to apply the substantive provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act to practical situations.
In order to achieve the learning outcomes, the seminars and assessment method focus on the skills of problem solving and policy evaluation, plus the assessment and interpretation of source material and its practical application. A considerable amount of material relevant to the module is available electronically and therefore study of the module will also enhance students Information Technology skills particularly in terms of the use of electronic databases and the Internet.
Lectures, seminars and the assessment method for this module focus on the key skills of statutory interpretation and problem solving, ensuring that students recognise and understand the policies underpinning the law at the national, European and international levels. In doing this the module emphasises the importance of intellectual property protection to industries such as sound recording, film, television, publishing and software engineering, and the public interest in the free flow of information in the digital age.
Through the study of Intellectual Property law, students will be required to critically analyse and evaluate how effective the law is in securing a balance between the interests of the creators, the rights owners and the users of intellectual property.
International and European framework and initiative
National legislation: Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
Categories of Works
Criteria for Protection
Authorship
Duration of Copyright
Rights of the Copyright Owner
Exploitation of Rights
Infringement and Defences
Trade Marks
Unregistered trade marks
Common law action of Passing Off
Registered trade marks
International and Community registration
Requirements for registration
Rights conferred and scope of protection
Infringement of trade marks
Designs
Registered design system
Requirements for registration
Community protection
Unregistered design right
Patents
Novelty
Inventive step
Industrial application
European initiatives
Patentability of computer software
This module is at CQFW Level 6