Archive for the ‘Intellectual Property’ Category
USPTO Seeks Nominations for 2012 National Medal of Technology and Innovation
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is searching for America’s top innovators via nominations for the 2012 National Medal of Technology and Innovation. The National Medal of Technology and Innovation has been awarded by presidents of the United States since 1985; it is, according to the USPTO “the highest honor that can be [...]
Herman Cain and Book Publisher Sued Over Cover Photo
An advertising agency is suing former presidential candidate Herman Cain and his publisher Simon & Schuster alleging copyright infringement over the photo that serves as the cover of Cain’s book, This is Herman Cain! In a lawsuit (Google doc) filed in federal district court in Atlanta, Adventure Advertising, LLC alleges that the company performed a [...]
Steve Jobs Figurine Removed From Market
Recently there was much ado in both legal and tech circles about a possible Steve Jobs doll from In Icons, but the flurry is over now that the company has voluntarily pulled the figurine from the market. It all began when a Steve Jobs fan at In Icons “created a single figurine of Steve which [...]
Trademark Battle: Much Ado About The ‘The’ in Virginia
The former The Barns of Rose Hill in Berryville, Virginia, which runs an amphitheater and cultural center, has agreed to drop the “the” in its name in response to a trademark infringement lawsuit filed by Vienna, Virginia’s The Barns of Wolf Trap. (I know: it’s catchy.) Back in December, the Barns of Wolf Trap sued [...]
Gingrich Sued Over ‘Eye of the Tiger Song’ Use
According to a Chicago songwriter, Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich is using the 1982 song “Eye of the Tiger” without permission, and he’d like him to stop. Frankie Sullivan, the guitarist for the group Survivor, which recorded the song, has sued Gingrich in federal court in Chicago alleging copyright infringement. According to Sullivan’s complaint, Gingrich [...]
Louboutin and YSL Battle Over the Color Red
The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals recently heard arguments on high-end shoe designer Christian Louboutin’s injunction request to stop Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) from selling red-soled shoes, a Louboutin trademark. No really, a legally registered trademark. Louboutin registered the color Pantone-18 Chinese Red with the United States Patent and Trademark Office in 2008. Last year, [...]
Trademark Granted! Nuckin Futs Is Not Offensive in Australia
Sometimes trademark cases in other countries are just too entertaining not to mention here, and the controversy over Nuckin Futs in Australia certainly fits that description. When the company that produces Nuckin Futs, a nut-based snack, tried to trademark the name in Australia, the Trade Mark Examiner rejected the application. The phrase was judged to [...]
Lego Intellectual Property Rights Become International Incident
In a legal battle over plastic, interconnecting construction blocks, Mega Brands Inc. is asking a federal court in California to invalidate Lego’s trademark. The most recent incarnation of this ongoing dispute between the two companies arose because of an announcement by U.S. Customs and Border Protection that it is clamping down on toy imports. In [...]
Can a UK Citizen Be Extradited to the US for Alleged Copyright Infringement?
According to one UK judge, the answer is yes, a UK citizen can be extradited to the United States for alleged copyright infringement. Richard O’Dwyer, 23, ran TVShack, which listed links to locations of files that users could illegally download. United States authorities reportedly shut down TVShack.net in the summer of 2010, but O’Dwyer reopened [...]
Church Asks NBA Star for Help in Defending Trademark Against Adidas
The trademark struggle over Adidas’ adiZero line continues — and the church on the other side of the dispute is turning to NBA star Derrick Rose for help. Adidas is having trouble trademarking “AdiZero” because the Christian Fellowship Church has already trademarked the term “Add a Zero.” The church’s trademark refers to a campaign encouraging [...]
