Article Archive for March 2012
Federal appeals court reduces award against Skyride for false advertising, trademark infringement, and cybersquatting, but upholds permanent injunction
On March 20, 2012, the Supreme Court unanimously reversed the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit’s decision and held in Mayo v. Prometheus that methods for determining the adequate dosage of thiopurine drugs in the treatment of certain diseases was not patentable under 15 U.S.C. § 101 as the methods only recited a process of the law of nature.
The mother of Trayvon Martin, the recently slain Florida teen, has filed two trademark applications for slogans used in the call for prosecution of gunman George Zimmerman. The applications cover the phrases “I am Trayvon” and “Justice for Trayvon.”
Nokia recently announced a “Haptic Communication” patent filing for a device which allows mobile-phone notifications to be received as “perceivable stimulus to the skin” by way of an adhesive patch or tattoo.
The maker of an instant oatmeal named Better Oats is running Internet ads using a familiar slogan from the 1980s. The ads claim it’s “the choice of a new generation,” which would be bold considering it’s only oatmeal, except that last generation’s choice was only Pepsi.
Legal representatives of rising NBA superstar Jeremy Lin have issued cease-and-desist letters to several California medical marijuana dispensaries for unauthorized use of the “Linsanity” nickname on their products.
The recent fashion trend of incorporating Navajo-inspired designs has provoked a lawsuit against Urban Outfitters.
Earlier this week the Supreme Court shocked the patent community by ruling that claims for a medical treatment were invalid as patent eligible subject matter.
The UFC is known in the entertainment industry for their hard line stance against copyright infringement. They were strong supporters of SOPA and have brought legal action against websites illegally streaming their pay-per-view shows. Their latest lawsuit against Greenfeedz.com is different because they state that they intend to go after the end users who watched the illegal stream as well.
Japan, Mexico, and Canada are attempting to join negotiations to form the TransPacific Partnership – a trade agreement that will reduce trade barriers between member states around the Pacific. If the states join, they will bolster the size and importance of the trade agreement. Despite the economic advantages provided by the decreased barriers to trade, many in the intellectual property community are concerned that the restrictions incorporated in the treaty resemble failed domestic legislation that aimed to regulate behavior on the Internet.
