Conditions for Design Patent
•Laws require the same base conditions for a design patent as for any other specific type of patent. The design, aesthetic, or pattern in question must be new or "novel." This means that not only can the design not be used or known in the country where the patent is being filed, but it also cannot be common overseas in other nations. The design must stay original even during the patent process. If someone somewhere else gets a patent first, then it's just tough luck. The new design also cannot be built mostly upon another already patented design that is owned by someone else.

Protection & Coverage
•Design patents apply only to a very narrow area. It's not uncommon for a new invention to require both a utility patent for what it does and a design patent for any specialty design that goes with the new product. A design patent only takes care of any design, appearance, pattern, or aesthetic of an invention. It does not offer any protection for mechanical or utility parts of any new invention.

Royalties
•Royalties in regard to patents more often are dealt with in contracts as opposed to the actual national laws on patents. An inventor can work out a royalty deal with a manufacturer who wants to mass produce the patented invention, but the company buying the rights to a patent are not required to offer royalties. The only time royalty payment is mandatory by law is if a company is found guilty in court of violating a design patent and guilty of not compensating the inventor. In this case the damages are often based of a presumed royalty of what the inventor would have made if properly paid by the company.

Read more: Laws on Design Patents & Royalties on eHow.co.uk
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