BNA’s Patent, Trademark & Copyright Journal® VOL. 88, NO. 2168 PAGES 509–574 JUNE 20, 2014 HIGHLIGHTS BNA INSIGHTS Mere Implementation of Abstract Idea With Computer Not Patent-Eligible COPYRIGHT: The author says the A method, a computer system, and a computer-readable medium to carry out Supreme Court’s final judgment a method for ensuring that a party to a contract has sufficient funds in its ac- in the Aereo case could clarify count are drawn to a patent-ineligible abstract idea, the U.S. Supreme Court or further muddy the nation’s holds. Affirming a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, copyright laws in a manner not the high court echoes a 2010 ruling that killed a patent on a computer algo- seen since the days of the player rithm for hedging investment risks. Alice Corp. Pty Ltd. v. CLS Bank Int’l. piano. Page 565 Page 513 ALSO IN THE NEWS TTAB Again Finds ‘Redskins’ Disparaging, Orders Registrations Cancelled The various trademark registrations used by the Washington Redskins ‘‘must be cancelled because they were disparaging to Native Americans at the re- COPYRIGHTS: Technology is spective times they were registered, in violation of Section 2(a) of the Trade- changing distribution channels mark Act of 1946,’’ the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board holds in a split de- and business models of view- cision. The board’s ruling strips away the team’s ability to rely on certain fed- ing content and recent court eral laws to enforce its trademark rights, which, if the registrations are decisions are creating uncertain- cancelled, will subsequently have to be grounded in common law. Blackhorse ties about intellectual property v. Pro-Football, Inc. Page 516 rights, according to participants at a Stanford University Law School conference. Page 522 7th Cir.: Characters From First Sherlock Holmes Stories Are Public Domain The fact that a few of the original Sherlock Holmes stories are still under the protection of copyright law does not prevent an author from using material TRADE DRESS: Snack bar com- from the stories that have fallen into the public domain without the authoriza- pany Kind failed to establish a tion of the copyright holder, the Seventh Circuit rules. The court rejects the likelihood of success on the mer- copyright holder’s attempt to distinguish ‘‘simple’’ or ‘‘flat’’ characters from its of its claim that Clif Mojo ‘‘complex’’ or ‘‘round’’ characters, which do not fall into the public domain un- bars infringed Kind’s trade til all the original works featuring them are in the public domain. Klinger v. dress, the Southern District of Conan Doyle Estate, Ltd. Page 517 New York rules. Kind LLC v. Clif Bar & Co. Page 531 Patent Community Saddened, But Not Surprised, By Rader’s Retirement COPYRIGHTS: Judge Randall R. Rader’s last day on the bench will be June 30, according to An online publish- an announcement by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Rader, ing platform cannot claim therefore, will retire exactly one month after resigning as chief judge—a move DMCA copyright immunity over that was precipitated by admissions of impropriety going to Rader’s off-the- images published on its website record emails to an attorney who had argued before the court. ‘‘The bottom before it designated a DMCA- line is that I was not happy after leaving the Chief position and it hit me that I related agent with the U.S. need to leave while I am young and full of energy to change the world,’’ Rader Copyright Office, the Northern said. Page 529 District of California holds. Oppenheimer v. Allvoices, Inc. Page 521 COPYRIGHT ஽ 2014 BY THE BUREAU OF NATIONAL AFFAIRS, INC. ISSN 0148-7965 510 (Vol. 88, No. 2168) A PATENT, TRADEMARK & COPYRIGHT JOURNAL THE BUREAU OF NATIONAL AFFAIRS, INC. 1801 S. BELL STREET, ARLINGTON, VA 22202-4501 (703) 341-3000 Paul N. Wojcik Gregory C. McCaffery Michael Eisenstein Scott Falk CHAIRMAN CEO AND PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE EDITOR GROUP PUBLISHER Naresh Sritharan ([email protected]), MANAGING EDITOR Anandashankar Mazumdar ([email protected]), Tony Dutra ([email protected]), Tamlin H. Bason ([email protected]), Blake Brittain ([email protected]), LEGAL EDITORS Garrett LeCron, INDEX EDITOR ADVISORY BOARD Stanley L. Amberg Laura Goldbard George Nancy J. Linck Michael J. Remington Chappaqua, N.Y. Stroock & Stroock & Lavan Rothwell, Figg, Ernst Drinker Biddle & Reath New York & Manbeck Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. Robert A. Armitage Jeffrey M. Samuels Marco Island, Fla. Kenneth B. Germain University of Akron Wood Herron & Evans Judge Paul R. Michel (Ret.) 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PTCJ ISSN 0148-7965 (Vol. 88, No. 2168) 511 In This Issue News / Page 513 Calendar / Page 570 BNA Insights / Page 565 INTERNATIONAL TRADE U.S. calls for end to WTO ATTORNEYS moratorium covering non-violation TRIPS disputes .... 525 Vilsack holds ‘‘frank discussions’’ with EU LEGAL MOVES Personnel changes at IP law firms, ministers; geographical indication a focus ................ 527 organizations ....................................................... 533 Vilsack says U.S., EU must find ‘‘sweet spot’’ to overcome differences on GIs in TTIP talks ............... 526 BNA INSIGHTS PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE COPYRIGHTS ‘‘New Technologies Are Once Again Blurring the Lines of Copyright Law,’’ by Francisco FEDERAL REGISTER Recent notices of the Patent and R. Montero .......................................................... 565 Trademark Office ................................................. 532 CONFERENCES PATENTS COPYRIGHTS Panelists: new technologies,