Can Key Words be Trademark Infringement?

Google Adwords threw trademark owners into new territory, and not a welcome one for the most part.  Website owners could now purchase key words from Google Adwords that included brand names of competitors.  Lens.com Inc. purchased, through third party marketing...

Global Patent Filings Increase

A new WIPO report shows that in 2012 global patent filings increased at their strongest rate in nearly two decades.  Industrial-design registration was the strongest category. The report shows patent filings grew by 9.2% (2.35 million applications filed) in 2012,...

New Year; New Patent Options

The New Year will bring us two new options for accelerating progress of patent applications in a variety of countries. The five largest patent offices, known as the IP5, are launching a new IP5 Patent Prosecution Highway (IP5 PPH) in January 2014.  The IP5 offices are...

House Passes Innovation Act

The House of Representatives has passed H.R. 3309 (the Innovation Act).  This bill would make dramatic changes to patent enforcement and defense law. The bill raises the stakes in patent infringement litigation by changing the traditional rule that attorney’s fees and...

Global Patent Prosecution Highway

The Global Patent Prosecution Highway (GPPH) pilot program is a multilateral agreement between thirteen national Patent Offices that will provide patent applicants with an option to accelerate patent examination in one participating Patent Office based on sufficiently...