Software protection with graphical user interface

A German SME focusing on medical equipment sterilisation services recently upgraded one of their core products. The SME produces both the sterilisation devices and the software used to manage the devices. The company improved the software by designing a new user interface for the devices which allows the user to read more information about the status of the sterilisation process. The German SME has already been in China market for several years and has several loyal clients. They expect the new software to be well received by their clients as it was designed taking into account the recommendations and the critique of those clients. Since the competitors don’t have similar software, the SME believes the upgraded user interface could even lead to some new business. However, the more popular the software becomes, the higher the chances of it being copied. The company is well aware of the value of their IP and had already taken steps to protect their core IP. For example, the name of the product had already been registered as a trade mark in all the relevant classes and sub-classes. Nevertheless, it was the software protection that the SME was more worried about.