# What if something copyrighted or trademarked in the US is redone in another country?



## Discorhett (Nov 6, 2007)

Hey all  i really tried to research this on the site before i asked and read a lot of posts about copyright and trademarks etc. (which helped a lot with other questions) BUT. Does a US. patent have any kind of pull or jurisdiction internationally? Originally thinking about it because I live in canada, but then started thinking, is that why certain less developed countries can produce blatant knock-offs of well established obviously trademarked designs and copyrighted company names??? whats the deal?


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> whats the deal?


You should talk to a lawyer.



> Originally thinking about it because I live in canada


I'm not sure, but I think both countries respect each other's intellectual property rights laws.


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## Discorhett (Nov 6, 2007)

So then searching the US trademark databases will still be important if I think I have some original Idea right? 

re:
"You should talk to a lawyer."

Sounds expensive and time consuming but i guess ur right


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> So then searching the US trademark databases will still be important if I think I have some original Idea right?


Yes, I think that would be a smart move.



> re:
> "You should talk to a lawyer."
> 
> Sounds expensive and time consuming but i guess ur right


When dealing with intellectual property, a lawyer consultation could save you $1000's in legal fees if someone tries to sue you for using their trademark/copyright.


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## sharps (Nov 14, 2007)

you have some things confused, patent, trademark, and copyright are all different. and to answer your question a patent in the US is NOT international. Now what i think you should be considering are copyrights and trademarks. Generally, a copyright is used for something that can be represented such as music or art. A trademark i used for concepts such as words and slogans. Of course these two overlap. Also, searching in the USPTO database is an excellent place to start although keep in mind you do not need to file a trademark to be protected under common law.


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## sharps (Nov 14, 2007)

dude lawyers are so glib, lol, good to have one on hand but imo, i think you can get around spending a dime on one. Now i didnt mention, that yes filing a trademark is the best thing to do and will offer you the most protection in lawsuit.


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## Xeon (Aug 11, 2007)

I once a contacted a lawyer online regarding registration of trademarks across countries.
Registration of trademarks / patents in a country will only grant you protection in that country, not worldwide.
So, the only way to do that is to register your marks in each individual country.

There's such a thing called "International trademark registration" which lets you register a global mark. I didn't check the prices, but you can be sure it's gonna empty your entire life savings and you'll be sleeping on the streets that night.


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