US, Indian HIV/AIDS Drug Rulings Could Reverberate In Brazil 04/07/2008 by Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch Indian generic manufacturers may be allowed to export a cheaper HIV/AIDS treatment to middle-income countries if US pharmaceutical company Gilead fails to win a patent for the drug in India. And a turnaround by the United States on the same patent may influence the outcome. Currently, the largest […]
A New Business Model For The Music Industry Explained 01/07/2008 by Intellectual Property Watch 9 Comments By Bennett Lincoff The music industry has been in a decade-long death-spiral. This predicament results primarily from insistence by those who benefited most from how the industry operated before the internet arose that the established relationships upon which their past successes were based be preserved as the digital music marketplace develops. The major record labels […]
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?
Some See Rise In Non-Traditional Trademarks; National Registries Not Yet 20/06/2008 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Catherine Saez Trademark owners seeking to broaden their products’ scope of protection are increasingly turning to registering non-traditional trademarks, according to the International Trademark Association (INTA) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). However, trademark offices do not show evidence of a significant rise in this type of registration request. Non-traditional, or non-conventional, trademarks, […]
Attorneys: New USPTO Patent Appeals Rules Will Raise Costs, Accomplish Little 18/06/2008 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch New United States Patent and Trademark Office procedural rules governing ex parte appeals of rejected patent applications before the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences (BPAI) have met with resistance from some patent attorneys, who argue they are unfair, unnecessary and will hurt smaller and foreign patent applicants. The USPTO said it adopted the rules, effective 10 December 2008, to streamline the handling of a growing number of such appeals.
Les spéculations entourant l’ACAC vont bon train alors que la première rencontre officielle vient de s’achever 13/06/2008 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Monika Ermert pour Intellectual Property Watch Les représentants des gouvernements des pays développés et de certains partenaires stratégiques issus des pays en développement se sont rencontrés à la mission américaine de Genève les 3 et 4 juin derniers pour discuter d’un projet d’Accord commercial anti-contrefaçon (ACAC). Le groupe de négociation se composait de l’Australie, du […]
Se sigue especulando sobre el ACTA aún después de la primera reunión oficial 13/06/2008 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Por Monika Ermert para Intellectual Property Watch Los días 3 y 4 de junio, los representantes de los gobiernos de los países desarrollados y de los países en desarrollo que son socios estratégicos se reunieron en la misión de los Estados Unidos en Ginebra a fin de debatir sobre las propuestas relativas a un Acuerdo […]
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 […]
Panelists: Balance Needed Between Antitrust Law, Patent Quality 11/06/2008 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch WASHINGTON, DC – A careful balance must be struck between ensuring the quality of the United States patent system – and the patents themselves – and antitrust law to ensure that new technologies and services can be brought to market, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry, experts said in Washington Monday. “Imbalance can result in less competition, less innovation,” Deborah Garza, deputy assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice’s antitrust division, said during a meeting of the Intellectual Property Owners Association.
USPTO Patent Reexamination Process Is Flawed, Think Tank Says 10/06/2008 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch A United States Patent and Trademark Office procedure for third-party patent challenges is in turmoil and needs rethinking, an investigation by an independent think tank has found. Though few in number so far, inter partes reexaminations are increasingly used in conjunction with, rather than as an intended replacement for, patent infringement litigation. On top of that, the USPTO is taking years to resolve the cases, leaving business plans in disarray. The USPTO said it is working to cut delays in the system.