As MPM mentioned earlier, trade dress covers "look and feel" but is extended often to places of business (the use of the color green and lay-out of a Starbucks for example) rather than products though it is possible to do so. Design patents can extend some protection where there is a combination of utility and design (boat hulls and the treads of shoes are common examples). Otherwise unattainable trademarks can extend to colors, shapes and designs but only if they have attained secondary meaning through continued use. This concludes your intellectual property primer.

The simple truth of the matter is that enforcing intellectual property is iffy in result except the guarantee of legal fees. I will say I did manage to score an HDS-7 out of a client once though...


Edited by RogueFanatic (07/27/14 09:42 PM)