General Information

What Is A Layout-Design Of An Integrated Circuit?

A layout-design of an integrated circuit is the three-dimensional disposition of the elements of an integrated circuit and some or all of the interconnections of the integrated circuit or such three-dimensional disposition prepared for an integrated circuit intended for manufacture.

The law that protects layout-designs of  integrated circuits is the Layout-designs of Integrated Circuits Act 2000

How Is Layout-Design Protected?

A layout-design is eligible for protection automatically upon fulfillment of the following conditions:

• It is original, i.e. the result of its creator's own intellectual effort and not commonplace among creators and manufacturers of integrated circuit;
• It has been fixed in a material form or incorporated into an integrated circuit;
• The right holder of the layout-design is a qualified person.

Who Is The Right Holder Of Layout-Design?

• The creator;
• The person who commission if the layout-design is created in pursuance of a commission;
• The employer if the layout-design is created by an employee in the course of his employment.

What Are The Rights Of A Right Holder?

A right holder of a protected layout-design has the following rights:

• Reproduce and to authorize the reproduction of his protected layout-design;

• To commercially exploit and to authorize the commercial exploitation of :

  • His protected layout-design;
  • An integrated circuit in which the layout-design is incorporated; or
  • An article that contains an integrated circuit in which the layout-design is incorporated.