A Board Certified Patent Attorney
Trademark Victory for Budweiser Beer in Europe
As reported on Canada.com, Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. has announced a legal victory in a continuing battle to trademark its top-selling Budweiser beer in Europe. The Board of Appeal for the European Union’s Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market ruled that Anheuser-Busch can register its trademark Bud beer throughout Europe. This ruling is subject to appeal, but it does ... Read More
USPTO To Give Patent Filers Accelerated Review Option
The United States Patent & Trademark Office posted the following article on their website which may be of interested to those seeking accelerated review of their patent applications: The Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is publishing procedures setting forth requirements for patent applicants who want, within 12 months, a final decision b... Read More
Florida Lawyer Files Lawsuit Claiming Trademark for NATURE MADE Vitamins is Deceptive
Florida Lawyer Paul Bass is suing nutritional supplement company Nature Made claiming their federal trademark NATURE MADE is deceptive under the Florida Deceptive Trade Practices Act because it deceived him into believing that the synthetic vitamen E he purchased came from natural sources. Hats off to Florida trademark attorney Joel B. Rothman for blogging this case recently in http://nutrisuplaw.... Read More
HOOTERS Restaurant Chain Loses Appeal In Trademark Infringement Lawsuit Against Winghouse of Florida
A U.S. District Court Judge’s ruling against restaurant chain, HOOTERS, has been affirmed in a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Florida District Court Judge Anne C. Conway in Orlando, Florida, ruled that the “Hooters Girl” persona is “primarily functional” and therefore not entitled to trademark protection. HI Ltd. Partnership v. ... Read More
Mediating Intellectual Property Disputes
Todd Mayover, in-house intellectual property counsel for a medical device company in Florida, has an interesting post at the IPCounsel Blog entitled Intellectual Property Mediation: “Regardless of the situation, without suggesting mediation, it will never happen. The obvious risk is that other party(s) may say no, but this would have no effect on the actual case at hand. At least the ... Read More
Trademark Tips to Prevent Rejection of your mark
The Miami Herald reports preventative measures to avoid trademark rejection by the United States Patent & Trademark Office. Many businesses assume that a trademark that conveys basic information about a specific product or service is ideal. However, such trademarks can be deemed merely descriptive of the goods and services and rejected. Trademark names like Cereality, Kodak, or Exxon h... Read More
Where Have All the Big Patent Firms Gone?
In his IP Litigation Blog, intellectual property litigation attorney Philip P. Mann writes an interesting post entitled “The Future of Big Patent Firms“. Philip Mann notes the increasing trend towards big patent firms folding up shop and joining even bigger general practice firms. In-house counsel at larger firms are increasingly going to their general practice firm for intellec... Read More
INVENTION BY FLORIDA STUDENTS OFFERS “FRESH” APPROACH
According to an article in the University of Florida News, a team of engineering students has designed and built a prototype of a new sensor that will assist grocers, florists, and pharmacists in determining the length of time before a product spoils or exceeds its expiration date. The sensor can also wirelessly transmit and record information to retailers relating to where glitches occur d... Read More
Florida Based BONGOS Restaurant Chain Sues for Trademark Infringement
According to an article in the Orlando Sentinel, Gloria and Emilio Estefan have filed trademark infringement suits throughout the country, claiming that their restaurant Bongos name and concept are being used by others without their permission. The Estefans claim that any other Bongos restaurant besides their flagship restaurant in Orlando and the one in South Beach are operating illegally.... Read More
PATENT FOR FLORIDA TECH SCIENTIST’S X-RAY DEVICE
According to an article in Medical News Today, Dr. Kunal Mitra, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Florida Tech, has been assigned a U.S. Patent, along with Florida Tech, for an x-ray delivery device which can be utilized for irradiation of the arteries after balloon angioplasty. This methodology can curb the frequency of plaque reformation after stent implantation and angiopla... Read More
PATENT INFRINGEMENT LAWSUIT FILED BY SPEEDUS
As reported in an article in Wireless Week, a second patent infrigement lawsuit in less than thirty days has been filed by Speedus Corporation, aimed at Alltel for alleged infringement on two of its wireless patents. Both of the lawsuits filed by Speedus against Alltel were filed in a Florida court, and they involved alleged infringement on Speedus’ “Low Power Multi-Function Cel... Read More
FLORIDA PATENT INFRINGEMENT SUIT AGAINST VERIZON WIRELESS
According to an article in Light Reading, Verizon Wireless is being sued for patent infringement by Speedus Corp., regarding two of the latters patents dealing with television service transmission over cellular networks. Speedus Corp. is still deciding whether or not to file a suit against any other carriers. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Flori... Read More
TRADEMARK AND GI PROTECTION SUBJECT OF USPTO PROGRAM IN CHINA
According to the AGIPNEWS, The United States Patent & Trademark Office, in collaboration with the China Trademark Office, completed a successful weeklong program last week in China, regarding “geographical indications (GIs).” “Geographical indications” refer to identifiers of goods originating in the territory of a World Trade Organization member. GIs also desig... Read More
TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT ALLEGED BY SIX BLACK FRATERNITIES
The Louisiana Weekly reports that Converse, Inc. is being sued by six black fraternities and sororities who claim that the company infringed on their trademark rights. The fraternities and sororities contend in their U.S. District Court lawsuit that Converse committed trademark infringement and unfair competition regarding their GREEKPAK basketball shoes. Converse began selling the shoes in... Read More
TRADEMARK HOLDERS GET ACCESS TO NEW DOMAIN
The Computer Business Review reports that holders of trademarks will be able to register their trademarks as .mobi names beginning June 12, 2006. The first internet address created specifically for cellular phone users, .mobi will be available through 16 of the top 20 domain name registrars throughout the world. Starting May 22, 2006, select members of mobile industry associations will be given th... Read More