1. Identify the concept of modular design by stating its pros & cons.
Ans: A modular design is an approach for product designing which is used to produce a complete product by integrating or combining smaller parts that are independent of each other. With the modular design approach, a complex product.
Some of the pros of modular design are:
It reduces the cost and time of product development and maintenance, as modules can be reused, customized, or upgraded without affecting the whole system.
Some of the cons of modular design are:
It increases the design complexity and difficulty, as modules have to be carefully defined, coordinated, and integrated with each other and with the system as a whole.
2. Define optimization. Explain the ways in which a design can be optimised.
Ans: Design optimization is a programmed mathematical technique that integrates this iterative design cycle in an automated process.
The analysis, evaluation, and modification tasks are performed automatically, making it possible to obtain an”optimum” design more efficiently.
3. Describe and classify Intellectual Property (IP).
Ans: Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind. It can be an invention (patent / utility model), a design (industrial design), a brand name (trademark, or a literary and artistic work (copyright).
Intellectual property rights are the rights given to persons over the creations of their minds.
It is a combination of science and technology.
It is given for any new creation such as composition of music, writing of a book, new invention.
4. Define:
(i) Patent: A Patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by. a sovereign state or intergovernmental organization to an inventor or assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for detailed public disclosure of an invention.
(ii) Trademark : A trademark helps consumers to identify and choose between products/services based on their reputation and quality
(iii) Trade Secret : Trade secrets are intellectual property (IP) rights on confidential information which may be sold or licensed.
(iv) Geographical Indication : A geographical indication (GI) is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
(v) Copyright : Copyright gives you a set of rights that prevents other people from copying your work and doing other things with your work that you may not like.
(vi) Utility Patent : Utility Patent- Most common type granted- Works to produce a useful result. Process, Machine, Article of Manufacture, Composition of matter.
(vii) Design Patent : Ornamental Appearance of an article of Manufacture Design and the applied object are inseparable. Can also be protected by a utility patent if it meets those requirements. Ex-surface ornamentation of flatware.
(viii) Intellectual property Rights (IPR) : Intellectual property rights are the rights given to persons over the creations of their minds.
5. Produce and explain the Characteristics of a Patent.
Ans: A Patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state or intergovernmental organization to an inventor or assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for detailed public disclosure of an invention.
Characteristics of a Patent
Novelty: Something new & non-existent in prior art (previously existing knowledge)
Non-obvious/ Inventive Step: An idea is non-obvious if it would not be discovered by one of”ordinary skill in the art” when the idea was needed.
Utility : Usefulness of an invention
6. Enlisting things which can’t be patented, explain Patentability.
Ans: Discoveries, Scientific theories, Mathematical method Business Schemes.
Anything against natural law.
Weapons of mass destruction.
Nuclear and Atomic Technology, Surgery Methods.
Anything Which is contrary to public order or morality.
7. Justify the statement ‘An atom bomb cannot be patented’.
Ans: There are several possible reasons why an atom bomb cannot be patented. One reason is that it may be considered a dual-use technology, meaning that it has both civilian and military applications, and therefore may be subject to export controls or secrecy orders that prevent the disclosure of the invention to the public.
8. Argue on the Patentability of COVID-19 vaccines.
Ans: The patentability of COVID-19 vaccines is a complex and controversial issue that involves legal, ethical, economic, and public health considerations. There are arguments for and against granting or waiving patent rights for the vaccines, and different stakeholders may have different perspectives and interests.
Patents create a monopoly that limits the supply and affordability of vaccines, especially for low- and middle-income countries that face vaccine inequity and scarcity. They restrict the sharing of knowledge and technology that could facilitate the local production and distribution of vaccines in different regions of the world, and enhance the global capacity to respond to the pandemic. They are not the only or the main driver of innovation, as many COVID-19 vaccines have benefited from public funding, collaboration, and existing knowledge.
9. Compare Trademark and Trade secret.
Ans:
| Trademark | Trade secret |
|---|---|
| A logo or graphical representation to differentiate one product or service from another | A secret or concept of any business that gives it an economic advantage over its competitors |
| Obtained by filing an application and registering the trademark | Obtained by keeping the information confidential and taking reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized disclosure |
| Lasts as long as the trademark is used and renewed periodically | Lasts as long as the information remains secret and valuable |
| Protects the identity and goodwill of a product or service from confusion or dilution | Protects the know-how, formulas, processes, designs or other information that is not publicly known |
| Can be enforced against anyone who infringes or misuses the trademark without permission | Can be enforced against anyone who acquires, uses or discloses the trade secret in a dishonest or unfair manner |
10. Distinguish between Patent & Copyright.
Ans:
| Copyright | Patent |
| Copyright is regulated by the Copyright Act, 1957 | A patent is regulated by the Patents Act, 1970. |
| It is a legal right confers to the creator of artistic work. It encompasses the right of adaptation of work, reproduction, distribution, etc. | A patent refers to a statutory right conferred by the government to protect an invention for a limited timeframe. Under the specified patent law, the invention cannot be sold, remade, imported without the inventor’s permission |
| Copyright has a limited scope of applicability as it can’t be applied to all sorts of work. | A patent protects the technical enhancement, which adheres to novelty and uniqueness. |
| Artists and creators can apply for copyright registration anytime. | A patent for an invention cannot be obtained once disclosed to the general public or made available in the marketplace. |
| Through copyright registration, the owner can reproduce and distribute the original work without any hassle. | A patent is granted to the invention, such as composition involved in an element or particular process. |
11. Explain Geographical Indication giving suitable examples
Ans:A geographical indication (GI) is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
GI are generally registered on products produced by rural, marginal and indigenous communities over generations that have garnered massive reputation at the international and national level due to some of its unique qualities.
For example, in the jurisdictions in which the Darjeeling geographical indication is protected, producers of Darjeeling tea can exclude use of the term “Darjeeling” for tea not grown in their tea gardens or not produced according to the standards set out in the code of practice for the geographical indication.