068.159E-DNO Winter 2013

THE PROTECTION OF ICONS AND INTERFACES BY INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
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DOMINIQUE NOLET
ROBIC, LLP
LAWYERS, PATENT AND TRADE-MARK AGENTS
Recent legal battles involving Apple, Google, Microsoft, Samsung and other major
players in the industry have led to true "patent wars". However, the latest dispute
between Apple and Samsung in the United States has redirected the spotlight usually
aimed at patents towards its lesser-known cousin: industrial designs.Since the object
of the conflict was now related to the appearance of smart phones (namely, their
rounded corners) rather than their functionality, industrial design protection was thus
put to the foreground.
While a patent is intended to protect the functional characteristic of an object, an
industrial design aims to protect an object’s visual or ornamental aspect. When
commercializing a software application, the visual aspect of the application is almost
as important as its functionality. Indeed, the visual aspect of the software (the "look
and feel") will not only seduce the user, but also contribute to the development of a
certain user loyalty towards subsequent versions of the software.
The classic example of an industrial design in the field of information technology is no
doubt the visual aspect of Google’s homepage (U.S. Industrial Design No. D599,
372), which is recognizable by its bare appearance with a simple search bar and the
two famous buttons "Search" and "I'm Feeling Lucky".
Xerox was in fact the first company to obtain registration of an industrial design for
a visual aspect of a software. In May 1988, Xerox obtained industrial designs for
several icons, most notably one representing a “waste basket” (U.S. Industrial Design
No. D295, 632). Every major company in this field, including Apple and Microsoft,
now possesses an industrial design for its own “waste basket”. These companies
have more than a hundred registered industrial designs on buttons, icons, menus
and user interfaces.
It is possible to obtain protection for an icon or interface provided that certain criteria
are met. Firstly, the icon must be new and sufficiently distinct from any other icon. It
must also be ornamental or aesthetic, and not only possess a functional aspect.
Finally, it should also be included in an “article of manufacture”. This criterion can be
easily met: for example, by displaying the icon on a computer screen in the
application for registration of the design.
© CIPS, 2013.
*
From ROBIC, LLP, a multidisciplinary firm of Lawyers, and Patent and Trade-mark Agents. Published
in the Winter 2013 (Vol. 16, no. 4) Newsletter of the firm. Publication 068.159E.
ROBIC, LLP
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The registration of industrial designs for icons and software user interfaces can serve
as a good addition to patent and/or trademark protection. Protection by industrial
design prevents a third party from making, selling or offering the item, for up to 10
years in Canada et for 14 years in the United States. This is different in the case of
trademark protection, for which one has to demonstrate that the third party’s
trademark presents a risk of confusion with the protected mark and that this trade
mark has an inherent distinctiveness. No such evidence has to be provided for
industrial design protection. The protection it offers can, among other things, prevent
a competitor from copying or imitating the configuration or pattern of a button, icon or
flagship interface as part of a web page or software. Moreover, not only are the costs
of filing and registration of an industrial design very affordable, but the preparation of
the application is fairly simple. Moreover, average application pendency times for
industrial designs are relatively shorter compared to those for patent applications.
However, despite the benefits of registration of industrial designs and the simplicity of
procedures related thereto, most companies involved in software development are
not compelled by this protection. This is unfortunate, considering that the addition of
industrial design to one’s portfolio of intellectual property assets can enable a
company to better protect its intangible assets, when patent or trademark protection
is difficult to obtain.
Companies in the field of information technology and telecommunications should
therefore have a vested interest in giving opportunities to this inexpensive, quick and
easy to obtain protection offered by industrial designs
ROBIC, un groupe d'avocats et d'agents de brevets et de marques de commerce voué depuis 1892 à
la protection et à la valorisation de la propriété intellectuelle dans tous les domaines: brevets, dessins
industriels et modèles utilitaires; marques de commerce, marques de certification et appellations
d'origine; droits d'auteur, propriété littéraire et artistique, droits voisins et de l'artiste interprète;
informatique, logiciels et circuits intégrés; biotechnologies, pharmaceutiques et obtentions végétales;
secrets de commerce, know-howet concurrence; licences, franchises et transferts de technologies;
commerce électronique, distribution et droit des affaires; marquage, publicité et étiquetage; poursuite,
litige et arbitrage; vérification diligente et audit. ROBIC, a group of lawyers and of patent and
trademark agents dedicated since 1892 to the protection and the valorization of all fields of intellectual
property: patents, industrial designs and utility patents; trademarks, certification marks and indications
of origin; copyright and entertainment law, artists and performers, neighbouring rights; computer,
software and integrated circuits; biotechnologies, pharmaceuticals and plant breeders; trade secrets,
know-how, competition and anti-trust; licensing, franchising and technology transfers; e-commerce,
distribution and business law; marketing, publicity and labelling; prosecution litigation and arbitration;
due diligence.
COPYRIGHTER
ROBIC, LLP
www.robic.ca
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QUEBEC
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Tel.: +1 418 653-1888 Fax.: +1 418 653-0006
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[email protected]
MONTREAL
1001 Square-Victoria - Bloc E - 8th Floor
Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2Z 2B7
Tel.: +1 514 987-6242 Fax: +1 514 845-7874
QUEBEC
2828 Laurier Boulevard, Tower 1, Suite 925
Quebec, Quebec, Canada G1V 0B9
Tel.: +1 418 653-1888 Fax.: +1 418 653-0006