- 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
- 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.
- 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.
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.
Source: Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO)