Logo and name

#1 Hi Vladimir,

To the question, should I protect? Yes. Anything that is important to you is worth protecting. You've invested a lot of time and creativity into this project already. And it has excited your imagination. And you've got a cool looking logo in the works. All of that is worth protecting.

As for the question on how to protect everything, I don't know how it is in Slovakia, but in the US, trademarking is an important first step. At the most basic level, we can place (TM) near our mark (symbol/logo/whatever) whenever it appears in public (brochures, websites, billboards, etc.) and that is our declaration that the trademark is ours.

However, if we want more meaningful protection, we register with the US Patent and Trademark Office. There is a small fee (<>150USD) that pays for research, administrative filing and some other stuff I can't remember. The process can take several months to complete, but once it is finished, you could then have a protected trademark.

For more information on the US system, visit this website . . .

www.uspto.gov/

The documents there can give you an idea of the kinds of services that most countries, including Slovakia should offer. Hopefully the prices and the waiting period will be less there than they are here in the states.

Skype you later,

Aaron


[edit: clarified a confusing sentence]

#2 Hi,

Thanks Aaron for teh answer. I see u also work saturdays :). I have found:
http://www.indprop.gov.sk/index2.php?lang=en&idd=18 (IN ENGLISH) office for patents in slovakia and I will step in the office on monday.

The only question I got is: I'm a person not a firm. Can I register the Logo, website, Name privately? Or make my website sort of a company without office?

I also happen to work in a company with my family but they got nothing to do with this project and i wander if I should actually patent the LOGO and NAME and WEBSITE on thsi company though i don't desire this in any way - i don't even want them to know I'm doing it.

:) Cheers for the help!

#3 From the link you provided, it looks like you as an individual can register a trademark. Here's the relevant quote . . .

Quote:A legal entity or a natural person may file the application for the registration of a trademark.

So if you had an established company (a legal entity) you could register a trademark. Or you can do it as an individual (a natural person). That last one made me smile. What's the alternative to "a natural person"? Supernatural? Preternatural? I can't help but wonder what kinds of 'persons' apply for trademarks in Slovakia. :)

Anyway, all kidding aside, it looks like you can register either way. However, you might want to consider registering as a legal entity (company) in your city or region first and then registering your trademarks in the company name. But either way, your trademarks will belong to you. In my city, it only costs 30 USD per year to establish a sole-proprietorship company. It's quick, it's easy, and it's cheap. There are fewer legal protections here for sole-proprietorships than other types of companies.

As for the family business and your side project, I'm not sure what to tell you. It's generally not cool to work for one company (even your own personal company) while you are 'on-the-clock' at another company (even if it is a father-son business).

If your project is something that you want to keep separate from the family business, then you need to work on it on your own time, using your own equipment, and spending your own money. With that in mind, you would need to conduct your communications with me or another contractor when you get home at night, not from the family business computers. That will make things difficult for international collaboration.

By the way, I'm hoping you are part of 'a family' rather than 'The Family'. ;)

#4 Hahahahha - well the thing about working with people from USA is that teh difference in time is normally: 6-8 hours! So I work on the project only in my free time and spend my own money on it. I cna not live a dream a side and I also cna not live job coz its my food (and i try my hardest at both jobs).

As for registering a company hahahaha- well sorry for laughing but I'm a Russian citizen (actually I'm Chuvashian) living/working in Slovakia. It is impossible to make another company - because I'm not Slovak citizen. Well I could but making a company would make me lose both: because of time for papers and so on: it s complicating thing for a russian citizen in slovakia.

Thanks for help Aaron - I will apply for the trademark as a person - hopefully I cna and it goes all right. I have a friend at a company that makes patents but I think she only deals with companies, but I will phone her on monday and ask for advice.

Thanks alot again :).

#5 Since corporations are legally "persons" in the US with rights of ownership etc., the term "natural person" means a living, flesh and blood person. ;)

#6 Muahahahah

I'm a living flesh and blood! Damn sometimes sitting by my PC i thought I was an android destined to build a game to destroy young poeple's minds :P. I know the truth!