Comparative Analysis Shows US Patent Office Scores Poorly On Patent Quality 18/06/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Quality across patent systems has been understudied but a new methodology put forward by the former chief economist of the European Patent Office suggests that the EPO provides higher quality services than its United States and Japan counterparts. Efforts at collaborative work between patent offices are being made but mutual recognition might not be possible or desirable without some harmonisation in the way the different systems operate.
FIFA, Vuvuzelas And Facebook: The Global Trophy Of IP Protection 11/06/2010 by Emma Broster for Intellectual Property Watch and Cheikh Kane for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment In the run-up to the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup in South Africa, sometimes described as the biggest marketing event in the world, there have been a number of instances where FIFA and local businesses have conflicted over the use of terms to advertise their products.
Google May Face New Scrutiny For Privacy Violations In Switzerland 04/06/2010 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Legally speaking, there is “little doubt” that Google’s collection of WiFi data by its roving Street View vehicles violates the Swiss Data Protection Act, and the company is likely to come under new scrutiny in Switzerland possibly even resulting in “severe financial consequences,” a respected Swiss law firm has said.
EU-India Trade Talks Resume Under Cloud Of Concern For Public Health 27/04/2010 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment BRUSSELS – Negotiations on the EU-India free trade agreement continue tomorrow in Brussels amid warnings from non-governmental organisations from India and Europe about possible negative consequences for the public health of poor citizens in India. But European negotiators sought to assuage fears.
公开渠道信息公司控告IBM违背反托拉斯法而IBM要求分析 26/04/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment 计算机巨人IMB正面临一家公开渠道信息软件公司在欧洲委员会提出的违背反托拉斯法的控告，该软件公司声称IMB阻止客户使用其软件。与此同时，公开渠道信息业界担心，IBM作为一家公开渠道软件制作的领军企业将运用知识产权来阻止竞争者，而这将危及自由和公开渠道的软件，并有可能打开其他公司纷纷声张知识产权的阀门。就此，IBM再次表示对公开渠道信息业界的支持，并要求竞争公司解释其软件如何不会侵犯到IBM的知识产权。
شركة للبرامجيات المفتوحة المصدر تدعي أن شركة أي بي إم (IBM) انتهكت قوانين مكافحة الاحتكار؛ وأَيْ بي إم تطلب إجراء تحليل 26/04/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment تواجه شركة أي بي إم العملاقة لإنتاج الحواسيب دعوى بانتهاك قوانين مكافحة الاحتكار قدمتها إلى المفوضية الأوروبية شركةٌ للبرامجيات المفتوحة المصدر التي تزعم أن شركة أي بي إم تمنع العملاء من استخدام تلك البرامجيات. وفي غضون ذلك، يساور القلق مجتمع البرامجيات المفتوحة المصدر من أن استخدام أي بي إم لحقوق الملكية الفكرية -وهي شركة رائدة في مجال تصميم البرامجيات المفتوحة المصدر- لمنع شركة ما من منافستها سيعرّض البرامجيات الحرة والمفتوحة المصدر للخطر وقد يفسح المجال أمام مطالبة الجهات الفاعلة الأخرى بحقوق الملكية الفكرية. وأكدت أي بي إم من جانبها مجددا دعمها لمجتمع البرامجيات المفتوحة المصدر وطلبت من الشركة المنافسة أن تشرح كيف أن برنامجها الحاسوبي لا يتعدى على حقوق الملكية الفكرية لشركة أي بي إم.
Empresa de código abierto presenta alegato sobre antimonopolio contra IBM; IBM solicita análisis 26/04/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment El gigante de la computación IBM enfrenta una reclamación fundada en las disposiciones antimonopolio, presentada ante la Comisión Europea por una empresa de programas informáticos de código abierto que alega que IBM impide que los clientes usen tales programas. A la comunidad de programas informáticos de código abierto le preocupa que el uso que IBM (un fabricante líder de estos programas) haga de los derechos de propiedad intelectual (PI) para bloquear a un competidor ponga en peligro los programas informáticos de código abierto gratuitos y pueda destapar otras reclamaciones por derechos de PI de otros agentes. IBM, por su parte, reafirma su apoyo a la comunidad de programas informáticos de código abierto y ha solicitado a la empresa competidora que explique de qué modo su programa informático no infringe los derechos de PI de IBM.
L’éditeur d’un logiciel open source accuse IBM de concurrence déloyale – IBM demande une analyse 26/04/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment IBM fait l’objet d’une plainte pour concurrence déloyale portée devant la Commission européenne par l’éditeur d’un logiciel open source, qui accuse le géant de l’informatique d’empêcher les consommateurs d’utiliser ce logiciel. Au même moment, la communauté open source craint que le fait qu’IBM, développeur de logiciels open source de premier plan, revendique ses droits de propriété intellectuelle pour barrer la route à un concurrent ne représente une menace pour les logiciels libres et open source, et ne conduise à anéantir les revendications de propriété intellectuelle émises par d’autres acteurs. IBM, pour sa part, réaffirme son soutien à la communauté open source et demande à l’entreprise concurrente d’expliquer dans quelle mesure le logiciel en question n’enfreint pas ses droits de propriété intellectuelle.
Medicrime: Another Anti-Counterfeiting Convention Emerges In Europe 24/04/2010 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments While the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is getting a lot of attention with its draft consolidated version just published, there is another convention dealing with one major aspect it was always said ACTA would tackle. The Medicrime Convention of the Council of Europe sets the first international standard for criminalising the manufacturing and distribution of counterfeited medicine risking public health. And Medicrime will overtake ACTA, as the draft convention text is ready to be signed by the Committee of Ministers in May and be opened for signature in November.
Shareholders In 3G Mobile Patent Company Seek US Investigation Of Nokia, Ericsson 23/04/2010 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Two shareholders in a Pennsylvania company with patents key to third generation (3G) mobile communications want the US Department of Justice to investigate European mobile phone manufacturers Nokia and Ericsson and others for failing to pay royalties for use of the technology. Antitrust scrutiny is needed to prevent the same thing from happening as the next generation of mobile phones rolls out, Richard Monahan and Kent Greene say.