Clients should note that there are still important differences in the law on designs and copyright between Ireland and the United Kingdom. Tomkins advises on copyright in computer software and on copyright in industrial design in Ireland. The article must be reproducible by an industrial process. In most countries designs are referred to as industrial designs. An example of a design relating to shape is a bottle having a distinctive shape.
Configuration refers to features of shape but appears to have a broader meaning.
Pattern refers to surface decoration and implies some repeat to form the pattern. Pattern is usually two dimensional. The first type of pattern that most people think of is one applied to cloth or textiles. Ornament again refers to surface decoration but is considered to cover three dimensional surface decoration, for example an etching. How to protect designs.