iGenericide to iStrategy
Ok, I am guilty of it. Last week, I complained that everyone and their mother was sticking “i” in front of a word and calling it a brand, but darn’d if I can’t help but do it too – and…
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International Trademark Scams
I’ve written before about invention promotion scams, and when my clients file trademark applications, I always warn them about receiving official-looking documents requesting payments for various kinds of trademark registration and monitoring services. However, to this point, the scams I…
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iGenericide
I don’t want to see any more i-whatever names. I am continually amazed at the number of companies, stores, and products that get branded with a leading “i.” Apple was creative when it developed the iMac. It carried that…
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Accuracy and Precision in Patent Writing
One concern I frequently hear from prospective clients, especially when I am explaining the patent search process, is that patents are difficult to read because they use complicated language instead of simple words. “Why say opposed co-acting jaws pivoted to…
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Foreign-Priority Trademark Applications and their Benefits
US trademark applications and registrations can be used to obtain trademark protection in other countries. Similarly, foreign trademark applications and registrations can be the basis for a trademark application filed in the US. As a member to a number of…
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Are you pushing, riding, or blocking the Winnebago?
Today I came across this article from Inventors Digest featuring podcast star Adam Carolla. It captions his life as a metaphor for invention – the ability to try, fail, and improve. And it makes a good point that America, and…
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Blurring out Clothing on TV
I was recently listening to an interview of Morgan Spurlock, who is coming out with a new film called The Greatest Film Movie Ever Sold or, really, POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, which explores the world of…
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Copyright for Tyson’s Face
Did you love The Hangover and are you desperately waiting for The Hangover: Part II to come out in a few weeks? Well, a tattoo artist is trying to stymie your anticipation by preventing its release! In The Hangover: Part…
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PTO still not sure about Trademark Bullying
A few weeks ago, I argued that the term “trademark bully” should be carefully applied and not overused. The tendency is to inflate every act of trademark patrolling as bullying. Of course, the term didn’t arise without reason – there…
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Opposition Proceedings in Patent Examinations
Unlike oppositions in trademark examinations, there is no formal opposition proceeding in patent examinations. Patent applicants can consent to protests or pre-issuance oppositions on a case-by-case basis and reexamination proceedings after issuance can occur, but generally, third-party communications concerning an…