Semiconductor Circuits, Topographies
Semiconductors are protected by both Andean Community Law and Ecuadorian Law. The exclusive rights of intellectual property apply over original layout designs (topography) as a result of an intellectual effort of their creator and that are not currently in the semiconductor circuits industry. A layout design (topography) that consists in a combination of elements or interconnections is also be protected if such a combination, in its whole, fulfils the above- mentioned requirements.
The duration of the protection for layout designs (topographies) is of ten years, starting on the latest of the following dates: Last day of the calendar year of its first commercial exploitation anywhere in the world; or, the filing date of the application for registration in the corresponding Member Country of the Andean Pact. In any case, said protection shall not be less than fifteen years starting as from the last day of the calendar year of creation of the layout design (topography).