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If you’re starting a new business or perhaps rebranding your current one, you want to do everything possible to discourage other parties from illegally using your intellectual property (IP). While you can’t guarantee that someone won’t do this – intentionally or...
A huge part of both pursuing a trademark and protecting one is getting insights into consumer perceptions and awareness around a brand. Thus, the trademark survey was born. These surveys involve questioning a sample group of respondents to obtain information about...
Just last month, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling on a case that has been making news for what it means for IP law for years. The case involved silk screen images created by artist Andy Warhol of the musician Prince back in 1981. The colorful series sometimes...
A “patent troll” is an unpleasant term used to describe a company that acquires and enforces patents, primarily for the purpose of extracting licensing fees or suing other companies for alleged infringement. In more polite terms, they’re often called “patent assertion...
Sometimes trademarked brand names aren’t harmed by other businesses misappropriating the name. They’re destroyed by events beyond a business’s control. Readers who remember the 1970s and earlier likely recall a popular “diet candy” known as Ayds. It had been around...
Most everyone is familiar with the term “Taco Tuesdays.” Restaurants and food trucks across the country have their own Taco Tuesdays every week. But who can legally use the term? That’s been the subject of dispute over the years. Even basketball great LeBron James has...
If someone duplicates a logo, image, name or something else you’ve trademarked without your consent, it can be relatively easy to hold them liable for trademark infringement. However, it’s often not so clear-cut. Many cases involve what’s called “trademark dilution.”...
Many creatives wonder if they can patent an idea, which has created debates. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) defines a patent as a grant of a property right to an inventor. Thus, it protects an innovation. But what about an idea? Here is what you...
As a patent owner, it's essential to understand the concept of patent term extension and adjustment. These mechanisms can potentially extend the life of your patent, allowing you to maximize the benefits of your intellectual property. Typically, a utility patent has a...
Getting a patent can take months or even years (2 years is somewhat typical). This is why you will often see products that advertise a “patent pending” status. A company has started selling a product, knowing that a patent application has been filed, but they want to...
