A patent application must be filed in accordance with the United States patent laws. One of the most critical requirements of our patent laws is that a patent application must be filed promptly. As of March 16, 2013, patents will be awarded to the first inventor to file a patent application for a particular invention.…
The European Patent Office has refused two European patent applications in which a machine is designated as an inventor. Both patent applications indicate “DABUS” as inventor, which is described as “a type of connectionist artificial intelligence.” The applicant stated that they acquired the right to the European patent from the inventor by being its successor…
Franchising is governed by trademark law which is enacted in the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. 1051 et seq. This law requires that franchisors police the use of their intellectual property licensed to third parties so that the brand is consistent and uniform to consumers. While trademark law requires franchisors and franchisees to enact controls to…
Subject to limited exceptions, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is enacting a new rule that mandates electronic filing for trademark submissions. In particular, trademark applicants and registrants will be required to: File their trademark applications and documents concerning trademark applications and registrations online using the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Electronic Application System;…
U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted that the USMCA “will be the best and most important trade deal ever made by the USA.” U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi added that “there is no question of course that this trade agreement is much better than NAFTA.” What will be the impact of the USMCA? The U.S. International…
On December 5, 2019, four U.S. senators introduced a bill that would allow Customs and Border Patrol (“CBP”) to directly seize goods based on design patent infringement. The bill is titled the “Counterfeit Goods Seizure Act of 2019.” Currently, design patents at the CBP can only be enforced by seeking an exclusion order from the…