An industrial design right protects only the appearance or aesthetic features of a product, whereas a patent protects an invention that offers a new technical solution to a problem. In principle, an industrial design right does not protect the technical or functional features of a product. Such features could, however, potentially be protected by a patent.
A registered industrial design applies to the outward appearance of an article whereas a patent is concerned with the function, operation, manufacture or material of construction of an article. Registration of an industrial design does not give the owner any statutory assurance of the validity of the design.
