8° “innovation or utility model”: idea of a creator “a creator of the utility model or an
innovator” which, in practice, provides the solution to a particular problem in the
technical field. It is an invention of a lower inventive level that does not meet the rigorous
criteria of a patentable invention. An innovation (or utility model) may consist of, or
relate to, a product or a process;
9° “license contract” : contract through which the industrial property right holder
(licensor) grants any natural or legal person (licensee) the authorization to carry out, in
the Republic of Rwanda and with regard to the industrial property right, any one of the
acts that constitute the use of industrial property right as referred to in this Law. The
license contract may be exclusive, semi exclusive or non exclusive ;
10° “exclusive license”: license contract that confers on the person (licensee) the right to
exploit the licensed industrial property right to the exclusion of all other persons, including
the right owner;
11° “non exclusive license”: license contract that confers on two or many persons the right to
exploit the licensed industrial property right;
12° “compulsory license”: authorization to use a patented invention, industrial design or a
layout design, granted to a third party by the Minister without the agreement of the right
owner;
13° “ex-officio compulsory licence”: authorization to use a patented invention by public
authorities or granted to a third party by Rwandan Government without the agreement of
the right owner;
14° “semi exclusive license”: license contract that confers on the person (licensee) the right
to exploit the licensed industrial property right to the exclusion of all other persons,
except the right owner;
15° “mark” : visible sign enabling the products “product mark” or services “service mark”
of one company to be distinguished from those of other companies;
16° “collective mark”: visible sign designated as such in the registration application and
allowing the origin or any other common feature to be distinguished, including the quality
of products or services of different companies that use this sign under the supervision of
the owner of the collective mark registration;
17° “certification marks” signs or combination of signs capable of designating any common
characteristic, including quality, origin or methods of production, of goods and services
and which are used under the control of the owner of the signs.
18° “trade name”: name or designation identifying and distinguishing the company of a
natural person from a legal person;
19° “layout design” : three-dimensional arrangement –in whatever form– of the elements, at
least one of which is active, and of all or part of the interconnections of an integrated
circuit, or such a three-dimensional arrangement, prepared for an integrated circuit
intended to be manufactured;