Orion IP LLP

18/02/2019

The US Patent and Trademark Office has issued a proposal which would require foreign-domiciled trademark applicants and registrants to use a US attorney.

05/02/2019

Myanmar’s long-awaited trademark and industrial design bills have been signed into law by Win Myint, the country’s president.

12/01/2019

US has issued guidelines to clarify what is eligible to be patented. While it is clear that inventions related to laws of nature and natural phenomenon are not eligible, the guidelines defined 3 categories of “abstract ideas”, i.e. mathematical ideas, certain methods of organizing human activities, and mental processes, that are not eligible. US goes on to clarify that an invention is still eligible to be patented if it improves the functioning of a computer or technological device. Implementation of an abstract idea by the computer or technology would not qualify.

The US Patent and Trademark Office has published new guidelines on the eligibility of subject matter in patent applications.

14/11/2018

Interestingly, the company with the most Blockchain patent application is Alibaba.

IT giant IBM filed a new patent that indicates interest in using blockchain technology to support scientific research and reporting. The filing – initially submitted in December – surfaced last week, and shows IBM continuing to pursue the use of blockchain technology for non-commercial purposes....

04/11/2018

Guidelines on the patentability of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies came into force yesterday at the European Patent Office.

12/10/2018

Apple in focus again.

The technology supporting the dual-camera function of Apple’s iPhones is at the centre of a patent infringement lawsuit filed yesterday by two individuals.

27/09/2018

If you intend to register your trademark in Canada, do it as soon as possible.

Canada has decided to become fully integrated with the international trademark regime, but trolls are already taking advantage of the rule changes, writes Ashlee Froese of Froese Law.

17/08/2018

More than 20 individuals have been charged for illegally bringing counterfeit goods manufactured in China, including Louis Vuitton handbags, into the US.

28/07/2018

KitKat’s shape not protectable in Europe.

Nestle has lost an appeal in Europe over their attempts to trademark the four finger KitKat shape. Judges at the EU Court of Justice dismissed their latest attempt to trademark the shape of their b…

13/07/2018

“...omitting the dedicated pilot bits from the prior art was a “technically obvious choice” for a skilled person with general knowledge in the area, and ruled that Philips’ ‘659 patent is invalid.”

The English High Court has held that a standard-essential patent owned by technology company Philips is invalid, two months after it upheld the validity of another related SEP in the same dispute.

12/07/2018

“The evidence, although it shows that the film ‘Coyote Ugly’ and its soundtrack were successful in 2000, does not demonstrate that the applicant’s business was widely associated with the film by the relevant public at the date the mark applied for was filed,”

The EU General Court has rejected claims that ‘Coyote Ugly’ is a well-known mark and dismissed an opposition to a Community trademark application.

03/07/2018

In the District Court of Northern California in San Jose this week, Apple and Samsung ended their seven-year litigation battle over smartphone design and utlity patents. Both Samsung and Apple will be keeping the terms of the agreement quiet and, despite Samsung declining to comment, an Apple spokes...