Patent and Trademark Cases Stephen Mcjohn
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Trademarks, Metatags, and Initial Interest Confusion: a Look to the Past to Re- Conceptualize the Future
173 TRADEMARKS, METATAGS, AND INITIAL INTEREST CONFUSION: A LOOK TO THE PAST TO RE- CONCEPTUALIZE THE FUTURE CHAD J. DOELLINGER* INTRODUCTION Web sites, through domain names and metatags, have created a new set of problems for trademark owners. A prominent problem is the use of one’s trademarks in the metatags of a competitor’s web site. The initial interest confusion doctrine has been used to combat this problem.1 Initial interest confusion involves infringement based on confusion that creates initial customer interest, even though no transaction takes place.2 Several important questions have currently received little atten- tion: How should initial interest confusion be defined? How should initial interest confusion be conceptualized? How much confusion is enough to justify a remedy? Who needs to be confused, when, and for how long? How should courts determine when initial interest confusion is sufficient to support a finding of trademark infringement? These issues have been glossed over in the current debate by both courts and scholars alike. While the two seminal opinions involving the initial interest confusion doctrine, Brookfield Commun., Inc. v. West Coast Ent. Corp.3 and * B.A., B.S., University of Iowa (1998); J.D., Yale Law School (2001). Mr. Doellinger is an associate with Pattishall, McAuliffe, Newbury, Hilliard & Geraldson, 311 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606. The author would like to thank Uli Widmaier for his assistance and insights. The views and opinions in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Pattishall, McAuliffe, Newbury, Hilliard & Geraldson. 1 See J. Thomas McCarthy, McCarthy on Trademarks and Unfair Competition, vol. -
Patent Law: a Handbook for Congress
Patent Law: A Handbook for Congress September 16, 2020 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R46525 SUMMARY R46525 Patent Law: A Handbook for Congress September 16, 2020 A patent gives its owner the exclusive right to make, use, import, sell, or offer for sale the invention covered by the patent. The patent system has long been viewed as important to Kevin T. Richards encouraging American innovation by providing an incentive for inventors to create. Without a Legislative Attorney patent system, the reasoning goes, there would be little incentive for invention because anyone could freely copy the inventor’s innovation. Congressional action in recent years has underscored the importance of the patent system, including a major revision to the patent laws in 2011 in the form of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act. Congress has also demonstrated an interest in patents and pharmaceutical pricing; the types of inventions that may be patented (also referred to as “patentable subject matter”); and the potential impact of patents on a vaccine for COVID-19. As patent law continues to be an area of congressional interest, this report provides background and descriptions of several key patent law doctrines. The report first describes the various parts of a patent, including the specification (which describes the invention) and the claims (which set out the legal boundaries of the patent owner’s exclusive rights). Next, the report provides detail on the basic doctrines governing patentability, enforcement, and patent validity. For patentability, the report details the various requirements that must be met before a patent is allowed to issue. -
Basic Facts About Trademarks United States Patent and Trademark O Ce
Protecting Your Trademark ENHANCING YOUR RIGHTS THROUGH FEDERAL REGISTRATION Basic Facts About Trademarks United States Patent and Trademark O ce Published on February 2020 Our website resources For general information and links to Frequently trademark Asked Questions, processing timelines, the Trademark NEW [2] basics Manual of Examining Procedure (TMEP) , and FILERS the Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual (ID Manual)[3]. Protecting Your Trademark Trademark Information Network (TMIN) Videos[4] Enhancing Your Rights Through Federal Registration Tools TESS Search pending and registered marks using the Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)[5]. File applications and other documents online using the TEAS Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS)[6]. Check the status of an application and view and TSDR download application and registration records using Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR)[7]. Transfer (assign) ownership of a mark to another ASSIGNMENTS entity or change the owner name and search the Assignments database[8]. Visit the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB)[9] TTAB online. United States Patent and Trademark Office An Agency of the United States Department of Commerce UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE BASIC FACTS ABOUT TRADEMARKS CONTENTS MEET THE USPTO ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 1 TRADEMARK, COPYRIGHT, OR PATENT �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� -
Introduction to Trademark Law and Practice
WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION INTRODUCTION TO TRADEMARK LAW & PRACTICE THE BASIC CONCEPTS A WIPO TRAINING MANUAL GENEVA 1993 (Second Edition) ( ( WIPO PUBLICATION No 653 (El ISBN 92-805-0167-4 WIPO 1993 PREFACE The present publication is the second edition of a volume of the same title that was published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 1987 and reprinted in 1990. The first edition was written by Mr. Douglas Myall, former Assistant Registrar of Trade Marks, United Kingdom. The present revised edition of the publication has been prepared by Mr. Gerd Kunze, Vevey, Switzerland, and reflects his extensive expertise and experience in the administration of the trademark operations of a large international corporation, Nestle S. A., as well as his intensive involvement, as a leading representative of several international non-governmental organizations, in international meetings convened by WIPO. This publication is intended to provide a practical introduction to trademark administration for those with little or no experience of the subject but who may have to deal with it in an official or business capacity. Throughout the text, the reader is invited to answer questions relating to the text. Those questions are numbered to correspond to the answers that are given, with a short commentary, in Appendix I. Arpad Bogsch Director General World Intellectual Property Organization February 1993 ( ( LIST OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1. TRADEMARKS AND OTHER SIGNS: A GENERAL SURVEY 7 1.1 Use of trademarks in commerce . 9 1.2 What is a trademark?. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9 1.3 Need for legal protection .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10 1.4 How can a trademark be protected? . -
Trademark Infringement, Trademark Dilution, and the Decline in Sharing of Famous Brand Names: an Introduction and Empirical Study
GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works Faculty Scholarship 2011 Trademark Infringement, Trademark Dilution, and the Decline in Sharing of Famous Brand Names: An Introduction and Empirical Study Robert Brauneis The George Washington University Law School, [email protected] Paul J. Heald Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.gwu.edu/faculty_publications Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Robert Brauneis & Paul J. Heald, Trademark Infringement, Trademark Dilution, and the Decline in Sharing of Famous Brand Names: An Introduction and Empirical Study, 59 Buff. J. Int'l L. 141 (2011). This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty Scholarship at Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT, TRADEMARK DILUTION, AND THE DECLINE IN SHARING OF FAMOUS BRAND NAMES: AN INTRODUCTION AND EMPIRICAL STUDY ROBERT BRAUNEIS* PAUL HEALD** Many famous brand names have historically been shared among dozens or even hundreds of different companies.1 Courts and commentators often cite well-known examples of sharing like Delta Airlines and Delta Faucets,2 or United Airlines and United Van Lines,3 but the list of companies sharing these brand names and many others is much, much longer. Trademark infringement law has traditionally accommodated brand-name sharing through doctrines that limit protection to closely related goods and to actual trading areas.4 Modern developments in infringement law, however, have challenged those doctrines,5 and trademark dilution legislation is arguably based on the theory that some brand names are harmed by, and should be protected against, any sharing at * Professor of Law, The George Washington University Law School. -
Vol. 93 TMR 1035
Vol. 93 TMR 1035 RECONSIDERING INITIAL INTEREST CONFUSION ON THE INTERNET By David M. Klein and Daniel C. Glazer∗ I. INTRODUCTION Courts developed the theory of initial interest confusion (or “pre-sale confusion”) to address the unauthorized use of a trademark in a manner that captures consumer attention, even though no sale is ultimately completed as a result of any initial confusion. During the last few years, the initial interest confusion doctrine has become a tool frequently used to resolve Internet- related disputes.1 Indeed, some courts have characterized initial interest confusion on the Internet as a “distinct harm, separately actionable under the Lanham Act.”2 This article considers whether the initial interest confusion doctrine is necessary in the context of the Internet. Courts typically have found actionable initial interest confusion when Internet users, seeking a trademark owner’s website, are diverted by identical or confusingly similar domain names to websites in competition with, or critical of, the trademark owner. A careful analysis of these decisions, however, leads to the conclusion that a distinct initial interest confusion theory may be unnecessary to resolve cases involving the unauthorized use of a trademark as a domain name. In fact, traditional notions of trademark infringement law and multi-factor likelihood of confusion tests may adequately address the balancing of interests required in cases where courts must define the boundaries of trademark owners’ protection against the use of their marks in the domain names of competing websites. The Federal Trademark Dilution Act (FTDA)3 and the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA)4 provide additional protection against the unauthorized use of domain names that dilute famous marks or evidence a bad ∗ Mr. -
Criminal Trademark Enforcement and the Problem of Inevitable Creep
Criminal Trademark Enforcement and the Problem of Inevitable Creep Mark P. McKenna* Trademark owners have long been able to enforce their rights through a federal cause of action against unauthorized uses of their marks.1 Private enforcement, however, is now only part of the story. The federal government also acts on behalf of mark owners, both seizing infringing and counterfeit goods at the border and prosecuting counterfeiters under federal criminal law.2 The idea of criminal penalties for certain trademark violations is not new – indeed, Congress enacted criminal penalties as early as 1876, just a few years after it passed the very first federal trademark statute.3 But mark owners had to be content with civil remedies for most of the history of American trademark law – Congress would not again enact criminal trademark penalties for more than 100 years after the Supreme Court struck down the 1876 Act in the Trademark Cases.4 Thus, for all practical purposes, criminal enforcement is a modern development, and one that has received little scholarly attention. This essay focuses initially on the federal Trademark Counterfeiting Act (TCA). That statute was intended to increase the penalties associated with the most egregious instances of trademark infringement – those involving the use of an identical mark for the * Professor of Law and Notre Dame Presidential Fellow, Notre Dame Law School. Thanks to Jeanne Fromer, Irina Manta, and Chris Sprigman for helpful discussions of the ideas in this paper. 1 The first federal trademark statute was passed in 1870. Act of July 8, 1870, ch. 230, 16 Stat. 198. -
Your Most Trusted IP Partner
Overview of Indian Trademark System In India, the Trade Marks Act, 1999 (“Act”) and the Rules there under guide the process of registration and enforcement of rights relating to trade marks. The Indian regime affords protection to registered as well as unregistered marks. In case of misuse of a registered mark, the right holder can initiate an infringement action against the violating party. For misuse of unregistered marks, the right holder is entitled to claim protection under the law of passing off. For succeeding in an action for passing off, the Plaintiff must meet these threefold criteria – (1) established goodwill or reputation of the Plaintiff attached to the relevant goods or services under its mark, (2) misrepresentation by the Defendant which is likely to deceive public in to believing that the Defendant’s goods/ services emanate from the Plaintiff and (3) damage suffered or likely to be suffered by the Plaintiff. It is important to remember that Indian regime affords high importance to prior use. Therefore, an infringement action on the basis of a prior registered mark by a registered proprietor may not succeed against a prior user. Trans-border reputation also holds huge weightage but, a party relying on trans-border reputation must be able to prove the acquisition of this reputation in India before the date of adoption and use of the relevant mark by the other party in India. The reliefs which a court may grant in a suit for infringement or passing off include injunction, and at the option of the Plaintiff either damages or an account of profits together with or without any order for delivery up of the infringing labels and marks for destruction or erasure. -
Inventions and Patents
MODULE 03 Inventions and Patents MODULE 03. Inventions and Patents OUTLINE LEARNING POINT 1: Basics of invention and patent 1. One way of adding value to a product 2. Reasons for patenting an invention LEARNING POINT 2: Patent application 1. Evaluating the patentability of an invention 2. Deciding whether to patent an invention 3. Preparing a patent application (1) Detailed description of the invention (2) Claims (3) Who prepares (4) After filing a patent application LEARNING POINT 3: Patent infringement 1. Definition of patent infringement 2. If you come across your competitor’s patent LEARNING POINT 4: Patent management system 1. Basic elements of a patent management system 2. Patent portfolio INTRODUCTION The term "intellectual property (IP)" is defined as the property resulting from creations of the human mind, the intellect. In this regard, it is fair that the person making efforts for an intellectual creation has some benefit as a result of this endeavor. Probably, the most important among intellectual properties is “patent.” A patent is an exclusive right granted by a government for an invention, which is a product or a process that provides, in general, a new way of doing something, or offers a new technical solution to a problem. The details on the way of acquiring patents will be provided for protecting precious intellectual properties. LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. You understand how to decide whether your new technology or invention should be protected by one or more patents and, if so, how to do so. 2. You know how the grant of a patent over an invention or technology helps you to prevent or have an upper hand in legal disputes that may arise later on. -
Some Observations on the Patent Troll Litigation Problem
Intellectual Property& Technology Law Journal Edited by the Technology and Proprietary Rights Group of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP VOLUME 26 • NUMBER 8 • AUGUST 2014 Some Observations on the Patent Troll Litigation Problem By Christopher Hu atent infringement cases brought by so-called problem can be addressed. In brief, the problems P patent trolls have received considerable atten- stem from the way nonpracticing entities (NPEs) tion in recent years, enough so that both Congress use or misuse the judicial system, not the US Patent and the White House have chimed in on the sub- Office. Accordingly, the solution primarily involves ject.1 The number of cases filed by patent trolls, the applying existing judicial procedures more vigorously cost of defending or settling these cases, the size with minimal changes to existing substantive law. of some judgments, the perceived frivolousness of some cases, and the use or abuse of litigation as a The Patent Troll “Problem” tool to “extort” settlements have all drawn atten- tion to this issue. Adding to the controversy is the Some Statistics on Patent Troll Litigation sentiment among some that it is inherently unfair NPEs, also known as patent trolls or patent asser- or economically wrong for an entity that does not tion entities (PAEs), are a fact of business life in the practice a patent to profit by asserting it. United States. Definitions of a patent troll vary but Although there is some statistical data concerning the common element of every definition is that a the assertion of patents by trolls, and a considerable patent troll is an entity that does not itself practice a amount of anecdotal evidence, there appear to be patent but instead asserts the patent against entities no rigorous studies on the economic effect of trolls. -
Intellectual Property Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore
Intellectual Property Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore IP Newsletter We are delighted to share with you the latest edition of our May 2015 Intellectual Property newsletter covering the latest developments in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. We trust you will find this newsletter useful. If you would like any further information, please contact the team in your jurisdiction. Best regards, Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow (Singapore) Hadiputranto, Hadinoto & Partners (Indonesia) In This Issue Wong & Partners (Malaysia) Recent Developments In: Indonesia Malaysia Singapore Indonesia Latest News Minister of Law and Human Rights Regulation No. 29 of 2014 on the Guidelines of Application and Issuance of For more information, please Operational License and Evaluation of Collecting contact: Societies Kuala Lumpur Chew Kherk Ying Pursuant to the enactment of Law No. 28 of 2014 on Partner +60 3 2298 7933 Copyright ("Copyright Law"), the Ministry of Law and Human [email protected] Rights ("MOLHR") has issued Regulation No. 29 of 2014 on the Guidelines of Application and Issuance of Operational Singapore License and Evaluation of Collecting Management Society Andy Leck Managing Principal, ("Regulation No. 29"). Tel: +65 6434 2525 [email protected] The Copyright Law urges authors, copyright holders and Jakarta performers to be members of collecting societies in order to Daru Lukiantono manage and collect royalties from the commercial use of their Partner copyright and neighboring rights from the public. The Tel: +62 21 2960 8588 [email protected] Copyright Law indicates that collecting societies should be non-profit in nature and obtain operational licenses from the MOLHR by fulfilling certain requirements. -
Page 1 Chapter 4 Similarity of the Marks § 4:1 Similarity in Context § 4
Chapter 4 Similarity of the Marks § 4:1 Similarity in Context § 4:2 Degree of Similarity § 4:3 The Three-Part Test: Sound, Meaning, Appearance § 4:3.1 Commercial Impression § 4:3.2 Sound § 4:3.3 Meaning [A] Word Versus Picture [B] Foreign Word Versus English Word 10/04/17 [C] Foreign Word Versus Foreign Word § 4:3.4 Appearance [A] Design Versus Design [B] Letters Versus Letters [C] Different Word/Similar Design § 4:4 Consider the Marks As Would the Relevant Public § 4:5 Consider the Marks Singly § 4:6 Weigh Similarities More Heavily than Differences § 4:7 Compare the Marks in Their Entireties § 4:8 Consider the Marks in Their Settings § 4:9 Give Dominant Portions of Composite Marks Greater Weight § 4:9.1 Family Features § 4:9.2 Words/Designs Proofs § 4:9.3 Letters/Designs § 4:9.4 Effect of Registration Disclaimers § 4:10 Marks Having Portions in Common § 4:10.1 One Mark Incorporating Another § 4:10.2 Common Portion Comparatively Strong, Dominant § 4:10.3 Common Portion Weak, Recessive § 4:10.4 Common Portion Generic or Functional § 4:10.5 Given Name/Surname 2nd § 4:10.6 Marks Suggesting an Association § 4:10.7 Marks with Source Modifiers § 4:10.8 Marks with Geographic Modifiers (Kirkpatrick, Rel. #9, 10/17) 4–1 § 4:1 LIKELIHOOD OF CONFUSION § 4:11 Reversal of Elements § 4:12 The Familiar Versus the Unfamiliar § 4:13 Parody § 4:14 Combining Complainant’s Marks § 4:1 Similarity in Context Similarity of the marks is an analytical factor in every court.1 (See section 2:4.) If this is the factor “without which the others have no probative value,”2 then it is “the most important consideration, for it is in [the] similarity [of the marks] that the roots of the confusion lie.”3 1.