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Introduction

USPTO Logo   IP Aust Logo   IP Logo
Trilateral Image
Ascension 2012 The Shift
Before publishing your game, you may decide to protect your invention from being copied.
However, you need to be made aware that not all countries acknowledge this protection.
Therefore
there is No Such Thing as Global Protection.

Intellectual Protection such as Patents and Trademarks are an asset.
Like any asset purchased, it may be sold to an interested buyer at an agreed price.
Many Board and Card Game inventors market without protection.
It is entirely a personal choice.
This part of the tutorial is provided to help you make an informed decision.


In this section we will cover:
  • Trademark, Design, Patent, Copyright explained
  • Which type of protection for Board Games?
  • Can we publish without protection?
  • Where to get protection
  • What is Public Domain?
  • Intellectual Property Infringement
  • Patent Attorneys
  • Writing your own Patent
  • Credits & Acknowledgement
Disclaimer:
This tutorial contains opinions and ideas of the author.
This tutorial is published with the understanding that the author is not engaged in rendering professional services. The author is not a qualified Lawyer, Patent Attorney or Advisor and therefore disclaims any responsibility for any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, that may arise as a consequence, directly or indirectly of the use and application of any of the contents of this tutorial.
In this tutorial the author explains the process used to write his own patent and is not intended to be legal advice.
Links to relevent websites are provided to help Board Game Designers and Inventors locate information and the author does not guarantee the validity of this information and recommends professional advice should be sought where appropriate.

Chapter 1. Copyright

Although it seems surprising, there is no registration of copyright in Australia or in most other countries. You do not register copyright, or go through any formal process to be protected under Australian law.

In some countries (such as the US), it is possible to register copyright.
However, even in those countries, registration is not normally required in order to receive copyright protection. Registering Copyright in the USA can provide additional benefits relating to procedures and damages you can claim if court action is taken over infringement of copyright in that country.

US Copyright laws
US Copyright Exlpained
Australian Copyright Laws
Obtaining Australian Copyright

How does copyright protect board games?
http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html
Poor Mans Copyright
http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html
http://www.copyrightauthority.com/poor-mans-copyright/
Register Copyright
http://www.copyright.gov/register/

Copyright is generally not worth two squirts of penguin Poop when it comes to board game protection. Copyright does not protect your designs or artwork, it does not protect the mechanics or workings or the game.
Ascension 2012 The Shift
It does protect the instructions and rules if photocopied word for word.
However the instructions simply have to be reworded to avoid infringing copyright.
To have copyright protection you must have the original copies of your invention.
You also need to put "©Your Name & Date" on everything. On the rules, on the cards, on the board, on the box etc.
Patent and Trademark provides better protection.
Chapter Selection

Chapter 2. Business Name, Logo & Trademark

Trademark Symbols

You will need to create a logo before you can Trademark it.
Before you create your logo you need to choose some names for your business or company.
You also need to have chosen some names for your game.

When you have a selection of names, you will need to do a search for existing business names and trademarks.
You will then narrow your names down to the ones that are not too similar or already used.
Only when you are absolutely sure your names are unique, can you then choose your favourite.

Links to Search Trademarks and Businesses Registered

Trademark Search Australia
http://pericles.ipaustralia.gov.au/atmoss/falcon.application_start (enter as a guest)
Trademark Search USA
http://tess2.uspto.gov/
Trademark Search Europe
http://europe.search-trademarks.com/
http://www.markenbusiness.com/en/patent_offices/europe.php
Trademark Search Canada
http://www.ic.gc.ca/app/opic-cipo/trdmrks/srch/tmSrch.do?lang=eng
Business/Company Name Search Australia
http://www.search.asic.gov.au/gns001.html
Business Name Search USA
http://egov.sos.state.or.us/br/pkg_web_name_srch_inq.login

When you have chosen your names and completed your search, you can then create a Logo.

Option 1.
For $200 you can have one designed professionally.
You pay $200 to start the contest. Artists all over the world enter.
You get all the entrants artwork to choose from.
You select your favourite logo. You get the rights to the logo.
The winning artist gets the $200.
Logo MyWay Image
http://www.logomyway.com/index.php

Option 2.
You design one yourself.
If your an artist, your in luck.
If not then try Public Domain Royalty Free Photos and Clipart.
Some you will have to pay for and some are public domain and free.
Take a look at the terms of use at some public domain sites below.

http://www.pdclipart.org/faq.php
http://www.wpclipart.com/legal.html
http://www.openclipart.org/about
http://creativecommons.org/
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/GPL/2.0/

When you are absolutely sure you like your logo, it will be time to register as a trademark.

IP Australia

US Trademark Seal

Europe Trademark
http://www.trademark.eu/
http://www.marcaria.com/trademarks/trademark_registration_europe.html

Each Trademark will take time to finalise.
The office that registers your logo has to publish it to make it public.
This allows time for any businesses or manufacturers to file an opposition to your Trademark.
They would oppose if they think it is too similar to their Trademark Logo.

When this time has passed with no opposition, you will be the proud owner of a Trademark.
One rule in Australia is that the Trademark must be used by you to retain it.
Perhaps it is the same in other countries.

This is to stop the creation of Trademarks by people that don't intend to trade with it.
While waiting approval of your Trademark, you can indicate "TM" beside your logo.
Once approved you can choose to use "TM" or ® beside your logo to indicate it is protected.
Ascension 2012 The Shift
There are two symbols associated with U.S. trademarks ™ (the trademark symbol) and ® (the registered trademark symbol).
They represent the status of a mark and accordingly its level of protection.
While ™ can be used with any common law usage of a mark, ® may only be used by the owner of a mark following registration with the relevant national authority.
The proper manner to display either symbol is immediately following the mark in superscript style.
Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trademark#Symbols

Frequently Asked Questions

Hasbro opposes Imagination -Trademark Infringement- Opoly!
Read About it........
Chapter Selection

Chapter 3. Patent

You now have experience searching for Business Names and Trademarks. It is just as important to do a global search for similar patents before filing a patent.

The example in this tutorial is a football game. So I would search for key words like
"football board game", "football card game", "foot ball board game"

"foot ball card game", "ball board game", "ball card game", "AFL board game"
"AFL card game" etc.


I already know without looking that there is an AFL version of Monopoly.

And because the real AFL game has existing rules, there is a pretty good chance that any board game designed around AFL would be too similar to other board games to obtain a patent.

That is why a game invention without existing rules, would be a better choice to patent.
Such a Board game may share a common category, but the rules and mechanics could be totally different.

Patents are designed to protect New Inventions.
The very first edition of Monopoly or Scrabble for example could have been patented.
But the variations of the original game in current editions are not inventive and therefore would not be patentable.

Next is a list of Patent Offices you can browse to search for patents.

Patent Offices
National Protection
Japan Patent Office
http://www.jpo.go.jp/

European Patent Office
http://www.epo.org/
Member Countries
http://www.epo.org/topics/ip-webguide/IPofficesmembers.html
European Patent Search
http://ep.espacenet.com/quickSearch?locale=en_EP

United States Patent Office
http://www.uspto.gov/patents/process/index.jsp
US Patent Search
http://www.uspto.gov/patents/process/search/index.jsp

Australian Patent Office
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/patents/index.shtml
Australian Patent Search
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/auspat/index.htm

International Protection
There is no such thing as a World Wide Patent.
Some countries have made agreements to recognise each other's Patents.
Visit the following links for more information.

Patent Logo
Patent Prosecution Highway
Fast track examination of corresponding applications filed in USPTO
and various Intellectual Property Offices around the world
http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp

Patent Cooperation Treaty
http://www.wipo.int/pct/en/texts/articles/atoc.htm

Patent Cooperation Treaty Member Countries
http://www.sapat.co.za/patent-pct.htm

Example Patent Search Results
374 results were found in the worldwide database for Board Game Football in the Title or Abstract.
Here are a few of those examples.

Casino Board Game of Three-Dice Football
KIT OF ACCESSORIES FOR ASSEMBLING OF FOOTBALL AND HOCKEY BOARD GAMES
ELECTRONIC CARD FOR FOOTBALL REFEREES
Two-side ball-kicking device of the middle-sized football robot
Set of parts with movement mechanism for table football game
Football game bench
Football board game
Game ball table structure capable of playing music
Football game table structure having three-dimensional effect
Table-top football game, with players moved on the playing surface by lower magnets
Football chess
Entertainment apparatus
Table-top board game
Table football game for seated and standing players comprises legs arranged on the short sides of the playing surface
Electronic handheld game apparatus
Ascension 2012 The Shift
Be prepared to read a lot of patents.
Filter out the patents that are within your niche and save only those to your computer.
The only way you can determine if there are similar patents to your game is to carefully study them all.
If there are patents of games too similar to yours, perhaps applying for a patent is not an option.

Patent Types

Utility Patent
A utility patent may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new and useful process,
machine, article of manufacture, compositions of matter, or any new useful improvement thereof.
http://www.uspto.gov/main/faq/p120011.htm
http://www.jpo.go.jp/index_e/patents.html

Design Patent
A design patent may be granted to anyone who invents a new, original,
and ornamental design for an article of manufacture
http://www.uspto.gov/main/faq/p120011.htm
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/designs/what_index.shtml
http://www.jpo.go.jp/index_e/designs.html

Standard Patent 20 years
The Innovation Patent 8 years
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/patents/what_innovation.shtml

Patent Attorneys

Writing Your Own Patent

Disclaimer: I am not a qualified Lawyer or Patent Attorney.
Therefore I cannot recommend you write your own patent.
I do recommend however that you seek legal advice
before you make any patent decision.
My objective is only to provide a template and links to
relevant websites that can assist you in this matter.
Personal experience in writing my patent is simply my own
personal experience and not legal advice.

I visited a Patent Attorney before writing my patent.
Because it was my first visit, the consultation was free of charge.

She advised me to consider writing it myself to minimise costs.
She explained that the main reason the costs are high is the time required by the Patent Attorney.
The Attorney would need about 8 hours to understand the game before commencing the writing of the patent.
She said there is no guarantee that the patent written by the Attorney will be accepted.

Armed with that advice, I decided to save between $6,000-$8,000 AUD and write my own patent.
I searched for patents on the web and studied them to see the format common to all.
I studied the example patents on the official sites also.
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/patents/ex_index.shtml

Note: Although I saved thousands of dollars on Patent Attorney fees;
It will still cost a few hundred dollars per year for the next 20 years to keep my invention protected.
Learn the fees required before you file a patent.
NB: They do not send out a reminder of fees due.

Common Patent Format Template
Patents are designed to protect NEW INVENTIONS.
If your game is too similar to another existing game, then it is not an invention and cannot be patented.

Patent Logo

The following template I have designed to comply with the Common Application Format of the Trilateral Office.
http://www.uspto.gov/web/patents/caf.html
http://www.trilateral.net/projects/pct/CAF.html

1. Description

A Statement of the Full Description of the Invention, Including the Best Method of Performing. Your "Rules and How to Play" Instructions are perfectly suited to this task.

The invention relates to a board game designed to simulate Australian Football,
and teaches players rules as used in the real game.
Aussie Footy Laces - The Australian Football Game is a game in which the players.....

2.Title of Invention

Usually the name of the game or a brief description. Our example would be something like:

Aussie Footy Laces - The Australian Football Game.

3. Technical Field

Our Football Game example can teach the game of football and also provide entertainment. Therefore the Technical Field of our example would be:

Category: Teaching Apparatus, Education Training, Entertainment and Play Things.
The present invention relates to a board game;
and more specifically, to such a board game that relates to Australian Football.

4. Background Art (Prior Art)

Here we need to identify the nearest game to our invention that exists and that we know of. This is why we did a search for existing patents prior to commencing the writing of ours. Let's imagine that we had not found any card or board games like our Australian Football example.
In the past many designs for board games have been developed;
more specifically board games relating to simulating a real ball game.
However so far as is known to the applicant;
none of these games relate to a game designed to simulate playing
Australian Rules Football in the form of a playable Board Game.

Next we list the details of one or more of the closest patents to our invention. We point out why our invention is different and what our invention offers to improve on these games. Here I have written pretend examples to show the idea.
Applicant believes the closest reference to prior art corresponds to:
Golf City - Publication Number WO2568567824 (A1)
The Exercise Ball Game - US2598357 (A)

The known patented board games relate to;
games that simulate games played on an oval or golf course.
These games, namely "Golf" and "The Exercise Ball"
both are played with rules very different to the applicant's game.
Applicant's game also uses different Game Mechanics and Rules of Play.
Applicant's game uses "Ball Grid" cards instead of dice to move the game token on the board.
Applicant's game uses teams to enable players to simulate the 18 players of a real AFL game;
whereas the known patented games have players compete as individuals.
Applicant's game uses a grid on the Game Board to locate the position of the token (Ball).

5. Summary of Invention

Here you outline the game and the main objectives of the players as a summary of the invention. I have written here only an example of how a summary would look in my opinion.
The disclosed Aussie Footy Laces - The Australian Football Game and method of playing it wherein;
the players separate in two groups of equal number. These groups are referred to as teams.
The said teams will aim to move the game token (football) to the end (goal) of the Game Board (oval)
belonging to said team within a time limit before the other team reaches their end (goal).
The first team to achieve this task is declared the winner of the game.
Aussie Footy Laces comprises a Game Board (oval) Figure 5,
a Game Token (football), a Rules and Play Booklet and a plurality of cards Figures 1, 2 and 3.
The game plays clockwise and allows up to 6 players.

6. Technical Problem and Solution

This step is to determine the technical problem, in the view of the closest prior art,
the technical problem which the claimed invention addresses and successfully solves.
Examining whether or not the claimed solution to the objective technical problem is obvious for the skilled person in view of the state of the art in general.

I am not a lawyer and so I will let you read the definitions yourself to understand this section of the patent.


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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inventive_step_under_the_European_Patent_Convention

http://www.iusmentis.com/patents/obviousness/
http://www.chaillot.com/ip-news/article/european-patent-problem-solution-approach-in-the-decision-t-64100-107.html
http://www.epo.org/patents/law/legal-texts/html/guiex/e/c_ii_4_5.htm
http://www.the-business-of-patents.com/inventive-step.html
http://www.mewburn.com/Patents/European_Patents/Non-patentable_Subject_Matter_at_the_European_Patent_Office.htm

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So here is an example of Technical Problem Solution for our Football Game.
Keep in mind we are pretending in our example that there are no previous Prior Art Football Games.

First the Technical Problem or Problems need to be identified.

Our aim is to strip non-technical features from the claim and establish objective technical problem solved by the (remaining) technical part of claimed invention over the closest prior art document, wherein non-technical features such as the aims, commercial and/or aesthetic considerations may be included as part of the framework of the problem, and consider whether the claimed invention would have been obvious
to a skilled person in light of the technical problem and closest prior art document.

http://www.mewburn.com/Patents/European_Patents/Non-patentable_Subject_Matter_at_the_European_Patent_Office.htm

1. Technical Problem:

The closest prior art refer to Board Games that use a dice to determine
the number of squares a game token is to travel around the perimeter of a Game Board.
The problem, that required a solution, was the inability to move the Game Token
(ball) and the Game Pieces (players) to any position on the Game Board.
Players Game Pieces that represent the 18 players of AFL needed to be
placed in locations according to Australian Rules Football.
These Game Pieces also needed to be moved to various random locations on the board
and needed to interact with opponents Game Pieces.

An Australian Football is eliptical and unlike a basket ball will not travel in a predictable straight line.
Although a dice will emulate a short or long kick, it cannot randomly select the path of a football.
Also a dice cannot change a players direction or determine a specific location on the game board.
An inventive step was required to find a solution that would simulate Australian Rules Football as a Board Game.

2. Non Obvious Solution:
The state of the art relating to board games does not provide an obvious solution.
Therefore applicant invented a grid to be drawn upon the Game Board with indicia placed in random patterns.

During play, players will have random cards in the hand containing indicia corresponding to indicia on the Game Board.
These cards can be discarded in a sequence that allows indicia to match indicia on the Game Board.
Game Pieces can travel an unpredictable distance with the ability to change direction.

7. Advantageous Effects of Invention

Here we need to show how the mechanics of your invention is technically superior to the prior art and state this as an advantageous effect of the device.
This is an important fact in judging the inventive step of the device.

The advantage of applicant's invention is to provide a platform that enables a board game
to simulate a real life ball game and the unpredictability that generates the excitement of that unpredictability.
Applicant's invention will generate a completely different game play and outcome in each game.
The game mechanics of the prior art could not accomplish this.

8. Brief Description of Drawings

This section is used to describe images of the board and cards in the game.

Brief Description of Drawings


Fig. 1  Ball Grid Card Rear View
All cards of the Ball Grid deck display this indicia

Fig. 2 Ball Grid Card Front View Yellow
12 cards of the Ball Grid deck display this indicia

Fig. 2 Ball Grid Card Front View Blue
12 cards of the Ball Grid deck display this indicia
.......and so on.

9. Description of Embodiments

The Description of Embodiments is written to enable any person ordinarily skilled in the art to which the device pertains to work the device. i.e. play the game.
Describe the embodiments showing how to carry out the device in this Description of Embodiments section.
i.e. how to play the game.
The description of embodiments includes at least one embodiment which applicants consider the best mode.
http://www.jpo.go.jp/tetuzuki_e/t_tokkyo_e/howto_utilitymodelappli_e.htm
Here I have written an example to suit our AFL game.

Description of Embodiments: Examples
Example 1 Game Pieces (players) are placed in position according to Rules and Instructions Begin Play.
Game Token (ball) is placed in the centre of the board (oval) according to Rules and Instructions Begin Play.
Player 1 picks up the top card from the Ball Grid Deck.
Player 1 consults players in the team to establish which cards combined from each player's hand will be discarded to move the ball.
Player 1 discards a Full Kick (6 squares), Hand Ball (4 squares), Short Pass (3 squares) or Tap (2 squares) card
face up beside the pack including the corresponding number of Coloured Dot Cards from the teams combined hands.
..............and so on.

10. Industrial Applicability

Our example Aussie Footy Laces will not require this section to be included in the patent.

An example might be a non slip mat to be secured to a stairwell in a wet area.
Perhaps the material the mat is manufactured does not remain wet and has a non slip surface. The industrial application might be a wharf (shipping port) continually sprayed by the ocean.

Or perhaps a board game that teaches workplace safety.
The industrial application would be Training Classes for Workplace Safety Officers.

11. Reference Signs List

Here will be included signs that refer to main parts of a drawing.
I will make up an example.


Reference Signs List
Sign 01: Yellow Dot Indicia displayed on the Ball Grid Card Yellow.
Sign 02 Blue Dot Indicia displayed on the Ball Grid Card Blue.
Sign 03 etc..........

12. Reference to Deposited Biological Material

Generally speaking biological and chemical formulas will not apply in a board game patent. But if you invent a board or card game that requires mixing plant materials with chemicals then you may need to explain it here.

13. Citation List

Here is an excellent example of a Citation List from WIPO

A CONCRETE EXAMPLE FROM A VIRTUAL DOCUMENT

The example hereunder shows how the references are cited by the applicant in the core of
the description and how the citation will be displayed in an additional list of references at
the end of the description of the European patent document. The numbers between
brackets are corresponding to the paragraph numbering already available in the European
patent documents.

EXTRACT OF THE CORE OF THE DESCRIPTION

[0106] All patents and publications, including all sequences and methods disclosed within
such patents and publications, referred to herein are expressly incorporated by reference.

These patents and publications include: EP 357 127, EP 635 574, EP 238 023, WO
97/06261, WO 98/46772.

[0107] The present invention is further described by the following examples, which should
not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0111] The resulting plasmids were transformed respectively to A. niger CBS 513.88 or to
K. lactis CBS 685.97. The transformation of A niger was performed according to (Kelly JM,
Hynes MJ Transformation of Aspergillus niger by the amdS gene of Aspergillus nidulans.
EMBO J. 1985 Feb;4(2):475-9) and of K lactis according to (Sreekrishna K,Webster TD,
Dickson RC, Transformation of Kluyveromyces lactis with the kanamycin (G418)
resistance gene of Tn903. Gene.1984 Apr;28(1) :73-81).

The source document has been removed from the following link.

14. Patent Literature

Here is an excellent example of Patent Literature from WIPO

REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0132] "This summary of references is for the reader’s convenience, only. It does not form
part of the patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the
references, errors or omissions cannot entirely be excluded and the EPO disclaims all

liability in this regard."

Patent documents cited in the description

- EP 357127 A

- EP 635574 A

- EP 238023 A

- WO 9706261 A

- WO 9846772 A

The source document has been removed from the following link.

15. Non Patent Literature

Here is an excellent example of Non Patent Literature from WIPO

Non-patent literature cited in the description

- KELLY JM, HYNES MJ, Transformation of Aspergillus niger by the amdS gene of

Aspergillus nidulans., EMBO J., 1985/02, 4, 475-9

- SREEKRISHNA K, WEBSTER TD, DICKSON RC, Transformation of

Kluyveromyces lactis with the kanamycin (G418) resistance gene of Tn903.,

GENE., 1984/04, 28, 73-81

The source document has been removed from the following link.
http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/cws/en/taskfrce/citation_practices/docs/epo_citation_practice_summary.pdf

16. Claims

The Claims are the Clear and Concise section of the Patent written to distinguish your invention from existing games.
The Claims set out all of the Essential Technical Features and must be consistent with the description.
An Independent Claim does not refer to any other claim.

Independent Claim Example:

The Claims defining the invention are as follows:
The invention claimed is:
1. An Australian Rules Football Board Game wherein the players pair off into two teams to compete in a game that simulates the real Australian Rules Football; comprising a Game Board (referred to as the Oval), a plurality of Game Pieces (referred to as Players), a Game Token (represented as The Ball), a Rules and Play Booklet and a plurality of playing cards; said playing cards divided into a plurality of categories; said categories including at least one of Ball Grid and Umpire; said categories divided into sub categories each having thereon the front of the card indicia.

Dependent Claim Examples:

  2. The Australian Rules Football Board Game and method of playing as in Claim 1 wherin said category Ball Grid is divided into sub categories; said sub categories including at least one of, Ball Grid Yellow, Ball Grid Blue. Ball Grid Red, Ball Grid Green and Ball Grid White.

3. The Australian Rules Football Board Game and method of playing as in Claim 1 wherin said category Umpire is divided into sub categories; said sub categories including at least one of, Full Kick, Hand Ball, Short Pass, Holding the Ball, Mark and Free Kick, Push in the Back Free Kick, Run with the Ball and Tap.

17. Abstract

The Abstract is a brief summary of your invention used to help the reader to quickly identify any key features.

SUMMARY OF ABSTRACT REQUIREMENTS

Preferably 50-150 words. Should contain:

(A) Indication of field of invention.

(B) Clear indication of the technical problem.

(C) Gist of invention's solution of the problem.

(D) Principal use or uses of the invention.

(E) Reference numbers of the main technical features placed between parentheses.

(F) Where applicable, chemical formula which best characterises the invention.

Should not contain:

(A) Superfluous language.

(B) Legal phraseology such as "said" and "means."

(C) Statements of alleged merit or speculative application.

(D) Prohibited item "etc".

Abstract:
The disclosed Australian Rules Football Board Game and method of playing it wherin the players pair off into two teams to compete in a game that simulates the real Australian Rules Football; comprising a Game Board (referred to as the Oval), a plurality of Game Pieces (referred to as Players), a Game Token (represented as The Ball), a Rules and Play Booklet and a plurality of playing cards.

Aussie Footy Laces the Australian Rules Football Board Game in which players aim to score by kicking the ball between the goal posts at their teams end of the board (oval), with the highest score being awarded for kicking the ball between the middle two posts. The team with the higher total score at the end of the game (match) wins. Except for rare circumstances, if the score is tied, a draw is declared.
With the use of cards, a Game Board (oval) and Game Tokens the game simulates real Australian Football. The primary methods are kicking, handballing and running with the ball represented by the Umpire Cards. There are rules on how the ball can be handled, for example players running with the ball must intermittently bounce or touch it on the ground. Throwing the ball is not allowed and players must not get caught holding the ball. Unlike most similar sports, there is no offside rule, and players can roam the field freely. Possession of the ball is in dispute at all times except when a free kick is paid. A distinctive feature of the game is the mark, where players anywhere on the field who catch a ball from a kick (with specific conditions), are awarded a free kick. Australian rules is a contact sport, in which players can tackle using their hands or use their whole body to obstruct opponents. Dangerous physical contact (such as a pushing an opponent in the back), interference when marking and deliberately slowing the play are discouraged with free kicks, distance penalties or suspension, depending on the seriousness of the infringement. Frequent physical contests, aerial marking or "speckies", fast movement of both players and the ball and high scoring are the game's main attributes.

18. Drawings

Here you will place pictures of your cards, the board and any drawings and charts used in the game.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
.......and so on.

http://www.uspto.gov/web/patents/caf.html

19. Sequence Listing

Sequence Listing is for DNA Nucleotides etc.
So a Board Game patent will not need this section included as the invention does not involve chemistry.

Definition: Sequence listing means, in respect of an invention, a part of the description of the application,
which gives a detailed disclosure of the nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences and other available information.

Chapter 4. Public Domain

not copyright

Creative Commons

Public domain

Public Domain refers to the total absence of copyright protection for a creative work
(such as a book, painting, photograph, movie, poem, article, piece of music, product design or computer program).

Public domain works (i.e., works in the public domain) are considered to be a part of the public's cultural heritage, and thus anybody is entitled to make use of them for any purpose, including copying, modifying and even selling, including with a restrictive license such as a EULA (end user license agreement).
Moreover, it is even permissible to remove the original author's name and treat it as one's own work.
The public domain is generally defined as consisting of works that are either ineligible for copyright protection or with expired copyrights. Public domain refers to the total absence of copyright protection for work.
The public domain is a range of abstract materials commonly referred to as intellectual property which are not owned or controlled by anyone. The term indicates that these materials are therefore "public property", and available for anyone to use for any purpose.
No permission whatsoever is needed to copy or use public domain works.
Public domain material is available for anyone to use for any purpose, private and commercial.

Public domain works can serve as the foundation for new creative works. Public domain works can also be copied and distributed without any permission or paying royalties.

Read More....... http://www.linfo.org/publicdomain.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain

http://www.public-domain-image.com/public_domain/public_domain.html

Creative Commons

Creative Commons is a non profit organisation that works to increase the amount of creativity
(cultural, educational, and scientific content) in “the commons”
— the body of work that is available to the public for free and legal sharing, use, re purposing, and remixing.

http://creativecommons.org/about/what-is-cc

http://creativecommons.org.au/about/cc

Royalty Free

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royalty-free

An excellent article about copyrights, patents and trademarks, well worth a read.
USA Patents and Trademarks

Step 3. is the next step in the tutorial where we investigate the manufacture of a board or card game.


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Go An Ah Play Games markets and sells products, including children's products, for purchase by adults 18 years and over.
If any product you are ordering is intended for a child please assume the following warning may apply to that product:
  alert WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD-Small parts. Not suitable for children under 3 years.


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