Gravesafe, the new burial system that has been successfully patented by Howard Lock Intellectual Property

An entrepreneur with a passion for new ideas has called upon the help of a Sheffield-based patent attorney to protect his revolutionary new burial system, which could help to alleviate the growing land shortage faced in many of Britain’s graveyards.

Brian Fisher, a self-confessed ‘coffin boffin’, has pioneered a new environmentally friendly burial system capable of accommodating six or more burials in a single plot, whilst eliminating the threat of collapse when neighbouring graves are interred. He approached Howard Lock Intellectual Property for advice on protecting his idea, and after successfully being granted a patent, Brian’s innovative burial system will soon be launched.

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Few patent cases have caught the headlines as much as the fiercely contested patent-wars: a series of on-going legal battles currently being fought in courtrooms around the world by global technology companies. The impact of such cases could soon be significantly reduced on businesses trading in Europe, following plans to launch an EU-wide patent: a universal patent which would be applicable to all member states.

The stakes in the patent wars are high. Apple, Google, Samsung and many others are pursuing multi million pound claims and counter-claims against each other. Indeed, it may seem almost like a 21st century equivalent of Jarndyce v Jarndyce, but perhaps the cases go some way to understanding the importance of protecting a company’s intellectual property.

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Ownership of intellectual property and the ability for a business to protect its rights is an issue that has rapidly soared up the political agenda in both Europe and the UK.

Exporting has long been regarded as vital to reinvigorating the UK’s manufacturing sector and it’s likely that schemes such as the Government’s Patent Box initiative, coupled with broader plans for a Europe-wide patent could help to give the UK’s manufacturing sector a much needed boost.

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With many different and competing pressures facing SME businesses it can be easy to overlook the true value of the intellectual property held within your company.

Getting the right type of protection in place can help to deter would-be copycat rivals from stealing your business ideas as well as giving your company certain rights within the law.

In the UK, intellectual property can be protected in three ways: filing a patent, registering a trademark and registering your designs with the Intellectual Property Office. Each offers different types of protection and choosing the option that suits the individual needs of your business can help to save significant amounts of time and money.

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As the countdown towards the London Olympics enters into its final phase, it’s likely that many businesses will be looking for opportunities to try and cash-in on links with the event.

The Olympic Games is big business, with organisers hoping to raise in excess of £500 million through the sale of various promotional packages around the event. Everything from licensing rights and official partnerships to sponsorship and advertising packages in association with the games and individual events are sold at a premium, and enables the companies that pay to use the words ‘official sponsor’ and access to the associated branding with the games.

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