Many individuals, companies and non-profits now have “blogs” where they invite comments and questions from readers. Most of those operating blogs and other websites seem unaware that they could be subject to suit for copyright infringement if materials posted by others are alleged to violate the exclusive rights of copyright holders. Many bloggers have fallen […]
Blog – Adam Garson Law
Policing Trademarks is Important but Have We Gone Too Far?
November 30, 2010
Trademark
Policing your trademarks is as important as registering them. Policing requires that you monitor the world of commerce to insure that others are not using your marks — or confusingly similar marks — and, if so, that you take immediate action against the infringers. Big corporations zealously defend their trademark portfolios but have they taken […]
The PTO is taking another step to reduce its workload through deferring examination of patent applications. The PTO has announced that it will soon start a pilot program to allow inventors to defer the payment of certain filing fees by one year. The stated goal of the pilot program is to allow inventors a total […]
“InventorsEye” is a bimonthly online publication by the U.S. PTO for individual inventors. Among other things, the publication gathers resources for individual inventors, such as inventor’s clubs and support organizations. “InventorsEye” is a publication of the Inventors Assistance Center. If you’re an inventor, check it out. — Robert Yarbrough, Esq.
Ask Dr. Copyright… How Long Does a Copyright Last?
October 29, 2010
Ask Dr. Copyright, Copyright
Dear Doc: How long does a copyright last? I seem to remember that it’s 28 years or so, but that it can be renewed, and that’s why they sing cheesy “faux” happy birthday songs in restaurants… because they don’t want to have to pay the two little old ladies who own the rights. Right??? Signed, […]
I took my Cobra down to the track,hitched to the back of my Cadillac, Everyone was there just a waiting for me There were plenty of Stingrays and XKEs… (written by Carol Conner)The Rip-Chords – 1964 It’s just a shame that, according to the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“Board”), your 1965 Cobra 427, […]
Say it’s a warm day and you’ve popped into the local tiki-themed cocktail lounge for a refreshing beverage. Is it possible that the tiny umbrella-embellished cocktail you’ve just been served is an infringement of someone else’s intellectual property rights? Take the case of Pusser’s Rum Ltd., a rum distiller located in the British Virgin Islands. […]
New Patent Search Tool For the Firefox Browser
October 29, 2010
Patent
On-line patent searching has profoundly improved the patent system. An inventor can use free Internet resources to search for patents and published applications relevant to his or her invention. The mother of all free on-line patent databases is that of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO). The PTO database has the advantage that it […]
PTO Issues More Patents, Reduces Backlog
October 29, 2010
Patent
The backlog of pending patent applications at the PTO is important to inventors because a large backlog results in long wait times before a patent application is reviewed by an examiner. During the last years of the last administration, the backlog at the PTO grew so large that the average time to first office action […]
Ask Dr. Copyright…Why You Shouldn’t Buy Software on E-Bay
September 30, 2010
Ask Dr. Copyright, Copyright
Ask Dr. Copyright… Dear Dr. ©: I want to buy some new software for my PC, and have found that the prices on eBay are lower than in my local computer store. Provided that the eBay seller is reputable, why not save a lot of money, since the software is now many times more expensive […]