Whilst the function, operation, manufacture or construction of a product may be protected by a patent, its outward appearance may be protectable by design protection. This protection may be either a registered design requiring an application to the Intellectual Property Office or an unregistered design right which arises automatically without registration but gives a weaker protection.

Other protection is available to artistic works (through copyright ) and semi-conductor chip topography.

A potential registered design must be new and have individual character, and hence details of the design should be kept confidential prior to application for registration.

The below pages outline how aspects of a product's design may determine the extent of the protection, and how to deal with suspected infringers.