傳統設計屬于近期以來世界知識產權組織正在研究討論予以知識產權保護的傳統文化資源的范疇,具有重要的商業和文化價值。我國少數民族具有豐富的傳統設計。在現行知識產權制度框架下,我國少數民族傳統設計的知識產權保護,主要有兩大制度路徑:一是外觀設計專利制度,二是實用藝術作品著作權制度。外觀設計專利制度可以為我國少數民族傳統設計提供消極保護,防止他人盜用或者不正當利用傳統設計;現行實用藝術作品著作權制度很難為我國少數民族傳統設計提供保護。現行外觀設計專利制度和實用藝術作品著作權制度應當進行適當創新,從而對我國少數民族傳統設計提供更好的保護。最佳立法模式是,吸取專利法、外觀設計準專利法和著作權法的制度營養,結合我國少數民族傳統設計的特點,制定傳統設計特別權利保護法。

Traditional designs are defined as important cultural resources by World Intellectual Property Organization due to their vital commercial value.China’s ethnic minorities have created a great bunch of traditional designs.Under the framework of the current intellectual property system,two institutional dynamics are established to provide intellectual property protection for traditional designs of ethnic minorities in China:exterior design patent system and copyright system of applied art works.The exterior design patent system provides negative protection for traditional designs of China’s ethnic minorities through preventing any unauthorized or illegal use.The copyright system of applied art works,however,hardly provides any protection for traditional designs.Some appropriate innovation should be brought into current systems for improvement of the protection of traditional designs.The author argues that the best legislative model is to make sui generis rights protection law of traditional designs according to the characters of China’s ethnic minorities through absorbing the essence of current intellectual property laws,such as Patent Act,Exterior Design Act and Copyright.