A Board Certified Patent Attorney
TRADEMARK DISPUTE BETWEEN QVC AND HSN
According to an article in The Associated Press, rival home shopping networks QVC and HSN are in conflict over the slogan “Christmas in July.” Both of these networks utilize the slogan in July, when they offer their viewers special deals and discounts for holiday purchases. The dispute has led to litigation in the U.S. District Court in Philadelphia. The West Chester-base... Read More
Supreme Court and Congress Tackle Patent Issues
According to an article by Rick Merritt in the Electronic Engineering Times, the Supreme Court, Congress, and the United States Patent & Trademark Office are struggling with issues related to intellectual property reform. There are three patent reform bills currently before Congress, while the Supreme Court prepares to rule on a patent case filed by eBay as early as June, and the United State... Read More
Patent on Rat Trap Allegedly Infringed by Boca Raton, Florida Manufacturer
In an article in the Ventura County Star, Bob Noe, owner of AgriZap, invented a rodent-killing gadget called the Rat Zapper, a milk-carton-sized device which uses four AA batteries to electrocute mice, rats, and other pests that are lured inside by the smell of dry pet food. The Rat Zapper is selling 50,000 to 100,000 units annually, increasing at a rate of 30 percent per year. But the Rat Zapper ... Read More
FLORIDA MAGAZINE SCRAPPED AMIDST TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT ALLEGATIONS
According to an article in the Boston Herald, Perfect Vision Media Group LLC publisher, Kevin Hernandez, has folded the modern design magagazine, Modernista, which had been sued for alleged trademark infringement by Boston ad agency Modernista! The Miami Herald also reported that Hernandez is selling his Miami Beach Publishing House, which could have factored into the decision to cease publ... Read More
Filing for a Patent can be a Breeze
According to an article in the DesMoines Register, Cindy Gordon owes her patent to a windy day. As a breeze whipped around the tent she had erected at a local high school craft show, she thought that there had to be a better way of securing the tent’s legs. When a fellow artist came to her with a couple of square steel weights, her own journey toward receiving a patent began. Gordon s... Read More
Rising Number of Patents has Ripple Effect
According to an article in the Des Moines Business Record, the United States Patent & Trademark Office estimates that there is a backlog of 600,000 patent applications awaiting to be assigned patent examiners, and that another 100,000 applications will be filed this year. In response to these higher numbers, the United States Patent & Trademark Office has almost doubled the fees f... Read More
Patent Holder Subject to Personal Jurisdiction in Florida
In Breckenridge Pharmaceutical, Inc. v. Metabolite Laboratories, Inc. et al. (Fed. Cir. 2006), the Federal Circuit held that a patent owner’s dealings with a Florida licensee was sufficient to give the court jurisdiction over the patent owner. Beckenridge filed suit against Metabolite and PamLab in the United Stated District Court for the Southern District of Florida for a declaratory... Read More
TALLAHASSEE INNOVATION DAY COULD BOOST PATENTS IN FLORIDA
According to a press release from ITFlorida, Tallahassee will host Innovation Day, Monday and Tuesday April 17-18, 2006. Innovation Day will be a great opportunity for the high tech community to demonstrate support to the Florida Legislators for the benefits of the Governor’s $630 million Innovation agenda. Innovation Day will also include an Idearaiser, hosted by ITFlorida, which is ... Read More
PAXIL MAKERS SETTLE AMIDST ALLEGATIONS OF FRIVOLOUS PATENT INFRINGEMENT LAWSUITS
According to an article in The Advocate, GlaxoSmithKiline, the makers of the well-known anti-depressant drug Paxil, have settled with state medicaid programs for $14 million. The state programs alleged that the company blocked generic versions of Paxil from being produced, causing the states to pay increased fees. The states’ allegations included the claim that GlaxoSmithKline used fr... Read More
Google Earth Sued for Patent Infringement
To show the importance of exactness in the patent application process, Google Earth is being sued by Skyline Software Systems over subtleties created by minor additions and deletions in the claims section of their patent application. A send2press.com article reports that a federal court judge in Massachusetts has issued a trial schedule and expedited discovery proceedings in response to the plaint... Read More
FLORIDA UNIVERSITY AMONG TOP TEN PATENT RECIPIENTS
According to a press release by the United States Patent & Trademark Office, The University of Florida ranks 7 in the list of universities receiving patents in 2005. The University of Florida was issued 64 patents (up from 2004 when it received 41 patents and a 13 ranking on the list). The University of California ranked number 1 on the list with 390 issued patents (actually down from ... Read More
TRADEMARK SUIT SETTLES BETWEEN APPAREL GIANT AND LITTLE PEAS
The Miami Herald has reported that apparel maker Sweet Peas Ltd. has settled its lawsuit with 52 defendants, who had named themeselves the “sour peas.” Sweet Pea had sued the defendants earlier this year for ingringing upon its trademark, Sweet Pea, in relation to the sale of clothing articles. Under the settlement agreement, the defendants will not utilize the term “sweet... Read More
U.S. Seeks Balance in Patenting Agreements to Help Impoverished People
According to a U.S. Trade Representative, the United States is trying hard to balance the requirements of the poor and developing countries who face ongoing medical emergencies and the rights of U.S. pharmaceutical patent holders. It’s a tough balance to strike. Disputes between certain U.S. pharmaceutical companies and the governments of Brazil and Thailand demonstrate the need for flexibil... Read More
PLANTATION, FLORIDA COMPANY HAS CUTTING EDGE PATENT
According to an article in the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, SoLapharm, Inc. a Plantation, Florida based pharmaceutical company, has created a process by which existing drugs are reconfigured into new tablet designs that include an inactive layer where the pills can be split. The breaking of pills represents a problem to patients, especially for those who must take precise dosages. Standard ... Read More
Commerce Under Secretary Highlights Florida’s Innovation and Competitiveness
PRESS RELEASE: Orlando, Fla. — Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Jon Dudas today echoed President Bush’s agenda to improve America’s ability to innovate, maintain a competitive edge and make health care more efficient. Under Secretary Dudas also presented an Export Achievement Award to NR El... Read More