What is Intellectual Property?

Intellectual property allows people and entities to own their creativity and innovation in the same way that they can own physical property. The owner of intellectual property can control and be rewarded for its use and this encourages further innovation and creativity.

In some cases intellectual property gives rise to protection for ideas but in other areas there must be more elaboration of an idea before protection can arise. It will often not be possible to protect intellectual property and gain intellectual property rights unless they have been applied for and granted. However, some intellectual property protection such as copyright arises automatically, without any registration, as soon as there is a record in some form of what has been created.

The four main types of intellectual property are:

• Patents
  For inventions - new and improved products and processes that are capable of industrial application.
  
• Trade marks
  For brand identity - of goods and services allowing distinctions to be made between different traders.
  
  
• Designs for product appearance
  Of the whole or a part of a product resulting from the features of, in particular, the lines, contours, colors, shape, texture or materials of the product itself or its ornamentation.
  
  
• Copyright for material
  Literary and artistic material, music, films, sound recordings and broadcasts, including software and multimedia.

Intellectual property is much broader than this extending to trade secrets, geographical indications, performers rights etc. and more than one type of intellectual property may apply to the same creation.

Memberships:

HTCIA
High Tech Crime Investigators Association

CALPI
Connecticut Association of Licensed Private Investigators

CII
Council of International Investigators

NAIS
National Association of Investigative Specialists

ASIS
American Society for Industrial Security

NHCC
New Haven Chamber of Commerce

Licensed Connecticut Private Investigations Agency
Artus Group, Inc.

Licensed Connecticut Private Investigator
Robert J. Artus

Intellectual Property Investigations

With trading markets heading towards complete globalization, brand fraud has increased dramatically. When assets that include patents, trademarks, client lists, processes, formulas and other proprietary information are at risk, your company is at risk also. For many organizations operating internationally, this is a multi-jurisdictional problem—often in challenging areas such as the People's Republic of China.

The Artus Group is both experienced and effective in the investigation of intellectual property violations. Successful investigations often lead to the protection of the product and to prevention of the brand name from being copied.

Whether investigating stolen source code, diverted product, or proprietary design information, we can deliver the intelligence and facts you need to make sound, strategic decisions. We have strategic contacts in many South East Asian countries we are able to investigate the sale of the products and identify the distributors, manufacturers and the supply chain.

We conduct undercover field activity to identify product counterfeiting operations, and other unauthorized activities at the manufacturing, distribution, and retail levels. Investigators will ascertain the identification, background and associations of violators as well as their sources and method of operation.

A pre-established network of discrete backstop trading companies allows us to undertake complex pretext approaches, undertake test purchases on your behalf, or third party purchases of domain names and trademarks without arousing suspicion. Our worldwide network of associated investigative partners allows us to conduct these investigations on a global basis.

We can track and monitor specific merchandise or equipment; observe and document suspicious activities; conduct routine trademark in use investigations through Internet related problems to large scale anti-counterfeiting and patent infringement issues.

Please call us to discuss our experience and your needs in more detail.