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03 Feb '15Two San Franciso noodle restaurants are boiling made at each other. Chubby Noodle has filed a trademark suit against Fat Noodle, claims that Fat Noodle’s chosen name is “confusingly similar” and will make customers believe that the two separate noodle-loving companies are related. The suit also notes that both restaurants’ logos “incorporate a stylized […]
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02 Feb '15
The current beta version of the USPTO.gov website will become the new website beginning February 5th. You can preview the new site and watch a one-minute video on the site’s new features. The new navigation is supposed to make it easier to access information about the available services and learning how to accomplish tasks. For example, […]
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30 Jan '15
Owning a Federal trademark registration provides several distinct advantages, including the ability to file a trademark lawsuit to protect the mark. In order to obtain a trademark, applicants must be able to show current use of the mark in commerce, or their intent to use their mark “in commerce” in the future. What do you […]
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27 Jan '15
Filing a trademark application requires some decisions to be made. One of the most important choices is the depiction of your mark. Every application must include a clear representation of the mark you want to register. This representation is used by the Trademark Office to file the mark in the USPTO search records. In addition, […]
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A patent search is often the first step in pursuing a patent, and its importance should not be overlooked. In order to patent an invention, it must be truly novel. The best way evaluate the originality of your idea is to conduct a thorough patent search. In addition to determining if someone else already has […]
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14 Jan '15My friend, Joe Kerski, is a geology geek and educator. He recently reposted an infographic regarding personal use of copyrighted images and materials. Please remember, this infographic is only for PERSONAL use of copyrighted material and is not my opinion or advice regarding the use of copyrighted material. First rule: Always seek permission first. Otherwise, […]
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25 Jun '14
TRADEMARKS ARE NOT ONLY LIMITED TO NAMES Trademark protection may cover logos, slogans, taglines, designs, sounds, jingles, colors, characters or fragrances. The law defines a mark as “any word, name, symbol, or device, or any combination” that is used to identify and distinguish goods or services from those of others. Examples include: AOL’s “You Got Mail”; Microsoft Windows […]
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The Ninth Circuit has revived a case involving copyrights and trademarks associated with the late Bill Graham. Graham was born in Berlin and escaped Germany and France during World War II and lived as a foster child in the Bronx. He moved to San Francisco in the early 1960s and got his start as a […]
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IMAX Corporation claims that one of its former software engineers stole the company’s technology and has used it to help a lower-cost Chinese giant-screen rival. According court documents, Gary Tsui worked for IMAX in Mississauga, Ontario from 1999 to 2009. When he told his employer that he intended to quit, he was fired first when […]
