Copyright is an automatic right that comes into existence upon
the creation of various types of original "works",
such as literary and artistic works.
International protection is derived from international treaties.
Some countries (notably USA) require registration of copyright
before it can be enforced and/or require all published copies
of the copyrighted work to bear a copyright notice.
An original drawing (whether of artistic quality or not)
will qualify as an artistic work which brings copyright into
existence. However, a prototype usually will not.
Copyright does not protect against copying of ideas as such,
but rather against copying the manner of expression of those
ideas.
Under Australian law, copyright in designs for three-dimensional
articles ceases to have effect upon commercial exploitation.
If it is desired to protect the design of a three-dimensional
article, an application for registration
of the design must be made before commercial exploitation
takes place. |
