US Elevates WTO IP Case Against China By Seeking Panel 13/08/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen The United States has asked the World Trade Organization to take to the next level a case it filed on China’s intellectual property rights protection after four months of consultations did not lead to the desired results, the US Trade Representative (USTR) said. The case on copyright and trademark protection […]
Mobile, IT Industries Form Patent Pool-Style Scheme 06/08/2007 by Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch Some of the biggest names in the mobile phone industry have joined forces to share intellectual property but have stopped short of establishing the mobile industry’s first patent cooperative, known as a patent pool. Intel, Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia and Qualcomm are among the manufacturers that have agreed to […]
US Congressional Panel Mulls Royalty Right For Songs On Radio 31/07/2007 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Well-loved American performers, members of Congress and the US Register of Copyrights squared off Tuesday against the country’s powerful broadcast lobby in a bid to change US copyright law to reward artists for songs played on terrestrial radio stations. The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet and […]
IPO Posts Comparison of US House, Senate Patent Reform Bills 27/07/2007 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New The Intellectual Property Owners’ Association, a Washington, DC industry association, has posted on its website a side-by-side comparison of the two bills to reform US patent law currently advancing in the US Congress. Both bills moved at the committee level last week but now face uncertainty. Both chambers are working furiously toward […]
US Patent Reform Advances But Outcome, Global Impact Uncertain 25/07/2007 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Legislation for sweeping reform of the US patent system emerged from House and Senate committees last week. Among other changes, the bills would more closely align the US scheme with international patent practice, create an additional opportunity to challenge the validity of questionable patents, and limit damages in some infringement lawsuits. But the bills’ future is unpredictable, observers say.
Observers Watchful Of US Trade Impact On Medicines Access 24/07/2007 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen The United States has begun incorporating a revised intellectual property and health policy into its bilateral trade deals. But although the overall softer approach towards its partners may improve access to medicines, the debate on the impact of the US free trade agreements on public health in developing countries is […]
US Ruling Creates Uncertainty For Famous Foreign Trademarks 20/07/2007 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Steve Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch In a ruling that surprised many trademark experts in the United States, one of the country’s most respected appellate courts recently cut back on the protection given to famous foreign trademarks. If such marks are well known in the US but are not registered or used in the country, they are unprotected by federal law, according to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
Is Peace Breaking Out In US Internet Radio Royalty Rates Battle? 15/07/2007 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch A Saturday agreement between US webcasters and SoundExchange, which collects digital royalties for artists and record labels, appears to have cooled some of the heat surrounding a 2 March decision by the US Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) setting new rates for Internet radio performances. With the new rates […]
Second Life Copyright Case: New World, Same Old Laws? 13/07/2007 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Far from being a bizarre by-product of the online society created by Second Life, a recently launched US intellectual property (IP) infringement case against one of its “avatars” is very much grounded in the real world, legal experts say. However, the fact that the first-of-its-kind case involves a “virtual” product raises interesting legal and social questions, they say.
Nokia Patent Case Against Qualcomm Reinvigorated 10/07/2007 by Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch A patent infringement case brought by US technology firm Qualcomm against Finnish mobile phone manufacturer Nokia at the US-based International Trade Commission (ITC) has been reinvigorated, with a hearing scheduled for 10 September.