What are the designs not registrable?

(a) is not new or original; or

(b) has been disclosed to the public anywhere in India or in any other country by publication in tangible form or by use in any other way prior to the filing date, or where applicable, the priority date of the application for registration; or

(c) is not significantly distinguishable from known designs or combination of known designs; or

(d) comprise or contains scandalous or obscene matter, shall not he registered.

What is meant by an article under the Designs Act?

Article means any article of manufacture and any substance, artificial, or partly artificial and partly natural; and includes any part of an article capable of being made and sold separately.

Can stamps, labels, tokens, cards, be considered an article for the purpose of registration of design?

No. Because once the design i.e., ornamentation is removed only a piece of paper, metal or like material remains and the article referred ceases to exist. Article must have its existence independent of the designs applied to it. So, the design as applied to an article should be integral with the article itself.

What is the duration of the registration of a design? Can it be extended?

The total time of a registered design is 15 years. Initially the right is granted for a period of 10 years, which can be extended, by another 5 years by making an application and paying a fee of to the Controller before the expiry of initial 10 years period.

Why is it important for filing the application for registration of design at the earliest possible?

First to file rule is applicable for registrability of design. If two or more applications relating to an identical or a similar design are filed on different dates, the first application will be considered for registration of design.

Can the same applicant make an application for the same design again, if the prior application has been abandoned?

Yes, the same applicant can apply again since no publication of the abandoned application is made by the Patent Office, provided the applicant does not publish the said design in the meanwhile.

What does Hague Agreement on Industrial Designs signify?

The Hague Agreement Concerning the International Deposit of Industrial Designs first came into existence in 1925. The Agreement aims at providing a mechanism for securing protection of an industrial design in all the member countries by means of an international deposit. The international deposit could be in the form of the industrial product or drawing or photograph or any other graphic representation of the said design. The duration of protection was 15 years from the date of deposit, this term is divided in two periods namely, one period of five years and the other of ten years. This Agreement is now being implemented by the WIPO.