Article Archive for June 2012
The USPTO TTAB affirms its refusal to register Gibson’s “Firebird X” guitar, citing that under Section 2(d) of the Trademark Act of 1936, the name is likely to cause confusion with an already registered trademark, “Firebird,” which deals in electric audio equipment.
The U.S. and 47 other countries just signed the Beijing Treaty on AudioVisual Performances intended to expand copyright protection to actors in movies and television programs.
Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales came out opposing the extradition of a U.K. student to the U.S., who faces felony copyright infringement charges. Harnessing the power of the Internet again to collect signatures, Wales hopes his petition will stop the extradition. Is his Internet clout as strong as he thinks?
The New Orleans Hornets top draft pick Anthony Davis recently filed for trademark registrations to protect the phrases “Fear the Brow” and “Raise the Brow” just days before the NBA draft.
Washington Nationals teenage superstar Bryce Harper inadvertently launches Internet meme; moves quickly to trademark what is sure to become his signature catchphrase.
Activist organization Invisible Children is threatening legal action against Kickstriker.com, a hoax website making fun of Invisible Children’s KONY 2012 video. The organization is claiming that the website founders are infringing upon their copyrighted and trademarked property; however, the Kickstriker founders are claiming protection under the fair use doctrine.
In its recently-released opinion in W.M. Wrigley Jr. Co. v. Cadbury Adams USA LLC, the Federal Circuit invalidated a chewing gum patent and, in the process, likely lowered the bar for opponents’ challenges of patents on the basis of anticipation.
The Federal Circuit’s ruling in In re EMC resolves the joinder split for pre-America Invents Act cases.
In a decision filed June 22, Judge Richard Posner dismissed Apple’s request for an injunction after neither party’s counsel was able to establish any actual harm, ending, temporarily Apple’s crusade against Motorola’s Android.
In the face of accusations that the U.S. has abused its authority with ICANN by creating malware for espionage purposes, the ITU will meet in December to discuss proposals for UN backed control over the Internet.
