how do I check who owns a copyright to a company or if it is patent pending?

Question

Bike clubs and the sale of their insignia

Answer 1

Hi

The following advice is specific to the UK:

A company name will almost certainly not be protected by copyright, but it may well be protected by a registered trade mark, and would also be protected against copying under the law of "passing off". Copyright would of course be relevant to the copying of certain documents owned by the company.

There are two types of trade marks relevant to the UK - Community trade marks (these have effect everywhere within the EC), and UK trade marks, which have effect only in the UK. You can search for UK trademarks at the website of the UK Patent Office (www.patent.gov.uk), and you can do the same with Community trade marks via the website of the Office for Harmonization in the internal market (website at http://oami.europa.eu/en/default.htm).

Patents protect inventions. Two types of patents cover the UK, these being UK patents, and European patents. You can search both of these by the name of the applicant (and many other criteria) at the website http://ep.espacenet.com/

For advice on these matters, I would advise getting in touch with a trade mark attorney.

I hope the above is helpful.

Good luck!

Answer 2

You can't copyright or patent a company.

You can copyright trademarks and patent designs.

The Patent Office in the UK, the European Patent Office and the US Patent Office are good sources of information.

If you were a little clearer about what you are trying to research, I am sure people could be more helpful.

Answer 3

Don't ask for trouble. Most clubs are incorporated, to begin with. Riding clubs and owners associations generally have their logos protected.

Some clubs won't bother to sue you, but take a more direct course of action.

Answer 4

there's a few websites depending on what you want to check.
www.patent.gov.uk
Trade Marks - www.patent.gov.uk/tm/index.htm
Search - www.patent.gov.uk/search/
Patents - www.patent.gov.uk/patent/index.htm
Copyright - www.patent.gov.uk/copy/

Answer 5

As much as I hate to say it, consult an intellectual property attorney to be sure you're proceeding correctly.

Answer 6

www.patent.gov.uk