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Knowledge Base
Intellectual Property Basics
Learn how to identify, categorize and protect your academic research, software, inventions and brand identities, and how each one is handled in KLD-IPATS.
Copyright
Protection that starts the moment you create
Grants exclusive rights to the creators of literary, artistic, scientific and technical works. It protects how an idea is expressed (your text, code or design), not the idea itself.
ProtectsOriginal writing, code, art and teaching material
RegistrationNot required. Protection is automatic
LastsAuthor's life plus 50 years
In KLD-IPATSResearch or Capstone
Eligible KLD submissions
- Undergraduate thesis and master's manuscripts
- Software source code and algorithms
- Instructional modules and manuals
- Research abstracts and published papers
Quick checklist
- Originality: your own work, not plagiarized
- Complete abstract and PDF manuscript
- Similarity score under 25% (the "Low" range)
- Co-authors agreement form
Using AI in your work?
Every KLD-IPATS application asks you to declare AI use: Tier 1 (none), Tier 2 (AI-assisted) or Tier 3 (AI-integrated). Declare it honestly. It is part of the review.
Patent
An exclusive right for a new invention
Granted for an invention that provides a new way of doing something or offers a new technical solution to a problem. In KLD-IPATS you file it as an Innovation.
ProtectsNew products, processes and materials
RegistrationRequired. It must be filed and granted
Lasts20 years from the filing date
In KLD-IPATSInnovation
The three tests
- NoveltyMust be completely new: not known to the public anywhere before you file.
- Inventive stepCannot be obvious to a person skilled in the same technical field.
- Industrial applicabilityMust be capable of being made or used in industry.
Do not disclose before you file
Publishing, presenting at a conference or posting your invention online can destroy its novelty. Philippine law allows a 12-month grace period for your own disclosure, but many other countries do not. Talk to the IP Office before you go public.
Not patentable
- Discoveries, scientific theories and mathematical methods
- Business methods and games
- Computer programs as such (use Copyright)
Utility Model ("petty patent")
Faster protection for practical improvements
Protects technical innovations or modifications that improve existing devices, tools or mechanical systems, without demanding the high level of inventiveness a full patent requires.
ProtectsDevices, tools, mechanisms and improvements
RegistrationRequired. It must be filed and registered
Lasts7 years from filing, not renewable
In KLD-IPATSUtility Model
Made for campus innovation
Utility models are ideal for student engineering prototypes, agricultural tools and hardware adaptations developed during coursework or research. It must still be new and industrially applicable.
- At least one claim describing what is protected
- At least one drawing or figure of the device
- A clear statement of what is new
Patent vs. Utility Model
| Feature | Patent | Utility Model |
|---|---|---|
| Inventive step | Strictly required | Not required |
| Typical approval time | 3-5 years | 6-12 months |
| Term | 20 years | 7 years |
| Best for | Brand-new inventions | Practical improvements |
Trademark
Your name, logo and identity, protected
Protects distinctive signs, logos, names and symbols that identify the products or services created by KLD departments and student organizations.
ProtectsNames, logos and symbols that identify a source
RegistrationRequired for full exclusive rights
Lasts10 years, renewable every 10 years
In KLD-IPATSLogo
Logo similarity scanner
KLD-IPATS compares the shape and colors of every submitted logo against the logos already on record, and gives it a similarity score before an administrator reviews it. Upload a clear PNG with a transparent background for the best result.
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What makes a strong logo
- Distinctive: it should not look like an existing mark
- Clearly described: meaning of each element and color
- Exact wording and spelling of any text in it
- Colors listed as hex codes if it is not black and white
Trade Secret
Valuable because nobody else knows it
Confidential know-how such as a formula, a production process, an algorithm or a data set. It is protected by keeping it secret, not by registering it.
ProtectsFormulas, processes, algorithms and data
RegistrationNone. It stays protected by staying secret
LastsAs long as it stays secret
In KLD-IPATSTrade Secret
Reasonable steps to keep it secret
- Limit access to named people, on a need-to-know basis
- Have everyone with access sign a confidentiality agreement
- Protect files with passwords or encryption
- Mark documents "Confidential" and use locked storage
We never ask for the secret itself
A KLD-IPATS trade secret record describes the secret in general terms and lists the safeguards around it. It documents that the secret exists, who has access and how it is protected, without revealing it.
When protection ends
If the information becomes public, or you decide to patent or publish it, secrecy protection is gone. Do not use this route for anything you plan to present or publish.
Side by side
Compare all five at a glance
Not sure which one fits? This table shows what each type protects, how you get it and how long it lasts.
| Copyright | Patent | Utility Model | Trademark | Trade Secret | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protects | Original works: writing, code, art | New inventions | Practical technical improvements | Names, logos, symbols | Confidential know-how |
| Registration | Automatic | Required | Required | Required | None |
| Lasts | Life + 50 years | 20 years | 7 years | 10 years, renewable | While it stays secret |
| Key test | Original expression | New, inventive, industrially applicable | New and industrially applicable | Distinctive, not confusingly similar | Secret, valuable, safeguarded |
| In KLD-IPATS | Research, Capstone | Innovation | Utility Model | Logo | Trade Secret |
How it works
From submission to certificate
Every application follows the same path, and you can follow each step in your dashboard.
System check
Manuscripts and logos are compared automatically against work already on record.
IP Office review
An administrator reviews your application and the check results.
Decision and certificate
You are notified of the decision. Approved work receives a KLD certificate.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to register my copyright?
No. Copyright exists automatically from the moment you create the work. Submitting it to KLD-IPATS gives you a dated record of your work and, once approved, a KLD certificate.
Can I present my invention at a conference before filing?
It is safest not to. Public disclosure can destroy novelty. Philippine law gives a 12-month grace period for your own disclosure, but many countries do not. Speak to the IP Office first.
What is the difference between a patent and a utility model?
A patent needs an inventive step, takes longer and lasts 20 years. A utility model does not need an inventive step, is usually quicker and lasts 7 years without renewal. Both need to be new and industrially applicable.
What happens if my logo looks too similar to an existing one?
KLD-IPATS gives every logo a similarity score. Scores in the High or Duplicate range (50% and above) are looked at closely by the IP Office, and you may be asked to change the design.
Do I upload my trade secret to the system?
No. You describe it in general terms and list the safeguards around it. You can attach documents such as confidentiality agreements, but never the secret itself.
Do I need to declare it if I used AI?
Yes. Every application includes an AI declaration (Tier 1, 2 or 3). Being upfront about AI assistance is part of the review and helps avoid problems later.
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