US Supreme Court Limits Patent Owners’ Control Over Downstream Use Of Their Inventions 25/06/2008 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch The United States has once again chipped away at patent rights. The country’s highest court recently handed down a ruling that makes it harder for patent owners to impose limits on downstream users of their inventions. The US Supreme Court’s decision in Quanta Computer Inc. v. LG Electronics Inc., however, fails to address a major issue facing patent owners and their legal counsel: Can patent owners use conditional sales or licensing agreements to impose restrictions on downstream users?
Brandowners Warn Against Cybersquatting, User Confusion From New Internet Domains 24/06/2008 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch PARIS – Some think the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers should have moved much faster to introduce new names in the internet to join the likes of .com and .org. Others moan about the widespread trademark infringement they expect to occur when the private internet governance […]
Virgin-BPI Alliance Against File-Sharers Seen As Not Synced With UK Policy 19/06/2008 by Bruce Gain for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Bruce Gain for Intellectual Property Watch The decision by Virgin recording company to send warning letters to alleged music pirates earlier this month appears out of sync with the approach internet service providers in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Europe might take as a means to thwart piracy. ISPs have implemented the warning […]
New Stirrings On EU Patent Front In The Name Of Small Business 13/06/2008 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – The ‘fragmented’ nature of Europe’s patent application system is harming small firms, a Brussels event has been told amid new efforts to harmonise it. Ever since the early 1970s, the European Community – now Union – has been discussing the possibility of introducing a single patent […]
Un nouveau rôle pour les fournisseurs d’accès Internet en matière de gestion de contenus en ligne 13/06/2008 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Par Dugie Standeford pour Intellectual Property Watch Les critiques à l’égard des fournisseurs d’accès Internet (FAI) se font de plus en plus vives concernant leur rôle dans le piratage de musique en ligne. Les détenteurs de droits d’auteur et les sociétés de collecte des redevances font pression pour que soit adoptée une loi obligeant les […]
Music Performers In US Policy Fight For Payment From Broadcasters 12/06/2008 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment [Note: new Commerce Department letter added 16 June] By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch WASHINGTON, DC – Performance-rights groups and broadcasters went head-to-head Wednesday as the two sides testified before the United States Congress as to whether conventional radio broadcasters should pay performance musicians if the broadcasters play their music. US lawmakers have […]
Función incipiente de los proveedores de servicios de Internet en el contenido digital 12/06/2008 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Por Dugie Standeford para Intellectual Property Watch Los proveedores de servicios de Internet (ISP, por su sigla en inglés) reciben cada vez más ataques alrededor del mundo por la función que cumplen sus redes en la piratería de música en línea. Los titulares de derechos de autor y las sociedades de recaudación están impulsando leyes […]
UNCITRAL Lays Groundwork For Policy On IP Assets And Financing 30/05/2008 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch NEW YORK – The groundwork has been laid at the United Nations by governments, non-governmental organisations, and intellectual property and finance experts on how to use intellectual property assets to encourage credit around the globe while not interfering with intellectual property laws.
European Commission Proposes Forum On Future Of Copying Levies 28/05/2008 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch BRUSSELS – The European Commission has recommended that a forum involving creative artists and the consumer industry should be established to determine the future of private copying levies. Twenty-one of the European Union’s 27 countries impose oft-criticised surcharges on equipment – ranging from blank cassettes to MP3 players […]
Not All Patents Created Equal, Technology Policy Experts Say 28/05/2008 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Kaitlin Mara NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT – The efficacy of the patent system is not equivalent across all industries, and appears to be particularly ineffective in software, said a panel at the Computers, Freedom, and Privacy conference held at Yale University last week. The presence of a one-size-fits-all patent system is not optimal, said Brian […]