Competing Industry Reports Show Economic Contributions Of Copyright, Fair Use 03/11/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Trade associations from various copyright-intensive industries have released a report showing they account for nearly $1 trillion in value to the United States economy, and provide some 5 million jobs.
US Patent Commissioner Stoll To Retire; Deputy Focarino To Step Up 02/11/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Robert Stoll, the Commissioner for Patents at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), has announced his retirement on 31 December 2011. Deputy Commissioner for Patents Margaret “Peggy” Focarino will be nominated to replace him, USPTO said today.
USPTO, Small Businesses Talk Patent Reform, Harmonisation, Fee Diversion 02/11/2011 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is working to ensure small businesses and independent inventors have the tools they need to obtain, protect and enforce their patents overseas, as well as domestically, in the wake of patent reform legislation enacted in the United States. Meanwhile, the office is also stepping up global patent harmonisation efforts.
US Copyright Office Issues Analysis Of Mass Digitisation Of Books 01/11/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States Copyright Office has released a preliminary analysis and discussion document on the intersection of copyright law and the mass digitization of books.
Tech Industry Sees Harm To Internet In US “Rogue Website” Bill 01/11/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 6 Comments Trade associations representing US technology industry interests this week attacked a new House of Representatives bill aimed at fighting so-called “rogue” websites, calling it “an alarming step backwards in internet policy” that would create “a thicket of internet regulations containing 16 new legal definitions for evolving internet technology.”
UNESCO Approves Palestinian Membership; US Faces Decision 31/10/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Members of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today approved Palestine as a member state, a move expected to force the United States to choose between withdrawal from UN agencies including the World Intellectual Property Organization, or removing a national law preventing the US from funding and participating in any organization with Palestine as a member.
US Elected Officials: IP Rights, Tech Markets Key For Russian WTO Accession 31/10/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The top members of the United States Congress for international trade policy have put intellectual property rights and information technology market access at the top of demands for Russia’s impending accession to the World Trade Organization.
Multiple Defendants In Patent Infringement Filing Under New US Law 28/10/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A company has filed a patent infringement complaint in the Eastern District of Texas that names 30 defendants, including some of the largest US technology companies, a case that reflects a change in US law as passed last month.
Plurilateral Trade Agreements Lack Protections For Users, Intermediaries 27/10/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The role of online intermediaries in copyright enforcement is on the international negotiating table in recent plurilateral trade agreements. Those negotiating with the US would be advised to examine carefully what is being offered, writes Margot Kaminski.
Controversial US Bill Targeting “Rogue Websites” Introduced In US Congress 27/10/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Legislation giving new powers to the government and copyright holders in the United States to unilaterally block payments to or take down websites deemed by US courts to be infringing intellectual property rights has been introduced into the House of Representatives. Now the policy fight begins.