Coronavirus Outbreak – How the Tech Giants are Easing Patents for a Greater Cause

Coronavirus Outbreak – How the Tech Giants are Easing Patents for a Greater Cause

The tech giants, most of the time, do every possible thing they can to keep their fundamental and crucial innovations under their purview. The most obvious way for them to do the same is via filing Patent Applications. Many of the widely-known tech companies out there file for thousands of patents every year. For instance, in 2019, IBM received a total of 9,262 patents and topped the business technology companies’ list of the most frequent patent recipients for the 27th year in a row. Moreover, companies, including Microsoft and Intel, are never far behind in this scenario as well.

IBM’s chief patent counsel, Manny Schecter, said in an article in 2018 that patents and the corresponding inventions are sometimes used as a currency for innovation. While keeping all such aspects in mind, something far away from the norms has to happen for the patent status quo to be disrupted, which, at present, is the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Open COVID Pledge

At the beginning of this month, all the tech giants mentioned above, along with HP Enterprise, Amazon, Facebook, and many others, joined a new initiative known as the Open COVID Pledge. To the specific, the tech companies are proactively setting aside the digital norms for allowing other companies out there to use their Intellectual Property (IP) temporarily and free of charge in efforts to combat the novel Coronavirus. In particular, the Open COVID Pledge is indeed like a superset of open-source licensing and Creative Commons for undoubtedly a difficult situation.

The best thing about this pledge is that all these tech companies, along with a couple of patent holders and laboratories, love their patents, and yet, they are willing to see the utmost importance of the better cause. The Chief IP Counsel at HP Enterprise, Brett Alten, wrote last week in a blog post that patents provide a competitive edge by granting the respective owners the exclusive right to prevent others from exploiting their unique innovations and inventions; however, in tough situations like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, cooperation holds more importance than the competition in all aspects.

The most engaging part is that the initiative or pledge came to life as a consequence of several academic and legal experts realizing a need, steering it, and then building something exceedingly robust for the tech giants to reply upon conveniently. As a part of the steering community, the General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Creative Commons, Diane Peters, wrote in the blog post last week that the initiative came together very quickly due to the exigent circumstances. She further noted that Creative Commons is now looking forward to working efficiently with various policy experts and talented international legal professionals on the subsequent steps to make the Open COVID Pledge an impactful and fruitful reality.

According to some experts, there are a few complicating factors involved as well to make the pledge work since it deals with patents. The most critical aspect lies in the fact that some of the tech companies taking part in the initiative are not using the license created for the pledge specifically, and instead, using a separate license in the spirit of the Open COVID Pledge, which includes companies like Intel and IBM.

Nonetheless, it is undoubtedly incredible to come up with such an accomplishment in a short span. At the moment where so much is in the air, and a lot of technological innovation is the need of the hour, the Open COVID Pledge can provide ways to determine effective treatments and cures for the deadly Coronavirus. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

Don’t forget to follow us on social media:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/trademarkmaldives/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/trademarkmaldiv

Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/company/trademarkmaldives/

Pinterest – https://in.pinterest.com/trademarkmaldives/

Tumblr – https://trademarkmaldives.tumblr.com/

Commvault Sues Cohesity and Rubrik Alleging Patent Infringement

Commvault Sues Cohesity and Rubrik Alleging Patent Infringement

Commvault (a publicly-traded data management and data protection software company headquartered in New York) has quite recently filed Patent Infringement lawsuits against Rubrik (a California-based cloud data management company) and Cohesity (a privately held IT company headquartered in San Jose, California) in federal court in Delaware. Commvault has stated that the companies have altogether infringed upon its seven patents, which correspond to a plethora of widely used data management technologies such as data deduplication, cloud, security, snapshots, virtualization, and search. To be specific, Commvault has claimed that both Cohesity and Rubrik have appropriated its patented technologies to short-circuit their development processes and reduce the investment needed, corresponding to building competitive products.

The Vice President and Chief Intellectual Property (IP) Counsel at Commvault, Marcus Muller, has said that the lawsuits hold the responsibility of safeguarding a company’s employees and investors, and also bring about fairness when it comes to competing in the global market. He further mentioned that for over two decades now, Commvault has been successfully delivering solutions to its customers and has become the pioneer in this space. By investing even more than $1 billion in its innovations and inventions, Commvault, at present, owns 900 patents across the globe and over 350 pending patents.

Commvault’s General Counsel, Warren Mondschein, mentioned in a recent statement that Commvault is not at all a litigious company; however when companies like Cohesity and Rubrik commit willful patent infringement, then it is the company’s responsibility to file such lawsuits and take a stand for the protection of its innovations and IP assets.

Lynn Lucas, the Chief Marketing Officer at Cohesity, has said that it is not unusual for legacy vendors to come forward and disrupt the market by filing frivolous lawsuits in an attempt to suppress sales and innovation. Coming to this matter, he stated that Cohesity came to know about the patent infringement lawsuit, not by Commvault’s representatives but through the media. He believes that there is no merit to the lawsuit filed as it is only an attempt to slow down Cohesity’s rapid growth and obstruct its accelerating success.

In an unattributed statement, Rubrik only stated that it doesn’t comment on any pending litigation.

When Commvault was asked why it is filing patent infringement lawsuits against Rubrik and Cohesity corresponding to widely implemented storage software capabilities such as cloud, search, virtualization, to name a few, Muller said the company is not claiming on all the aspects in these technologies and is looking at specific patents. He further declined to speculate about whether the company would file similar lawsuits against other such competitors in the market or not.

Commvault, Cohesity, and Rubrik compete vigorously for data protection and management business in the market. On the one hand, Commvault is a long-established vendor, while Cohesity and Rubrik, on the other hand, are well-funded and rapidly emerging new companies on the block. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

Don’t forget to follow us on social media:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/trademarkmaldives/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/trademarkmaldiv

Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/company/trademarkmaldives/

Pinterest – https://in.pinterest.com/trademarkmaldives/

Tumblr – https://trademarkmaldives.tumblr.com/

Unfolding the Hand-in-Hand Relationship between Blockchain and IP

Unfolding the Hand-in-Hand Relationship between Blockchain and IP

The to-the-point definition of the term blockchain defines it as an anonymous online ledger that efficiently keeps a growing list of records, known as blocks, which are, in turn, linked using cryptography, where every single block contains a cryptographic hash of the previous block, transaction data, and a timestamp. As a Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System, blockchain was invented by an inventor with the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto back in 2008. The blockchain technology is a concept that is too simple on the one hand and much complex on the other. It is exceedingly diverse in all of its uses. Many experts across the globe believe that the blockchain phenomenon is quite similar to the revolution brought by the Internet and the online world. When it comes to the industrial application of blockchain technology – Finance is undoubtedly one of the leading areas where it is traversing its roots.

The early birds that filed a patent on the blockchain include some of the widely known financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs, Mastercard International, and Bank of America. In India as well, people have filed a few Patent Applications on the blockchain technology. Other than blockchain, shared economy, smart contracts, file storage, governance, identity management, Internet of Things (IoT), stock trading, data management, e-commerce, healthcare, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, luxury and consumer goods, and automotive, are some of the fields in which technology is gaining immense pace and momentum.

It is a matter of fact that yes – Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) and the blockchain technology go hand-in-hand. On one side, IPRs protect blockchain, and blockchain, on the other side, can efficiently serve to strengthen the already existing Intellectual Property (IP) regime. Without any doubt, the world, at present, is realizing the enormous potential that blockchain holds, and IPRs are indeed going to play an integral role in coming up with a protected environment for the development of the technology. While taking into account the other side’s aspect, we can observe that the security and reliability offered by blockchain can very well strengthen every phase of the lifecycle of the IPRs including creating licensing agreements, resolving disputes over ownership, identifying counterfeit products, or creating an IP register to keep a record for all forms of IPRs.

Initiatives Taken by the Indian Patent Office

Many nations across the globe have started realizing the true potential of blockchain technology, and India is no exception in this case. The Indian Patent Office (IPO) is doing its best to stay at par with the technological advancements. It expects to be able to predict the timelines for users corresponding to the different actions to be taken by the office.  A scientifically-handled workload-based allocation of patent applications to the examiners shall result in making optimal use of human resources available.  Automated checking against all the formal requirements, including attachments, application formats, amongst many others, can speed up the entire process by reducing the manual intervention required.  With reduced manual intervention, there shall also be an impact on the accountability and transparency procedures in an optimistic way. For achieving all the above measures, the IPO is efficiently establishing a legal framework for a blockchain-based IP registry to commercialize ideas and further protect them.

Final Thoughts

The use of blockchain technology for the benefit of the IP industry is indeed significant. However, like other emerging technologies, blockchain technology has a few setbacks as well. At present, such setbacks include the need for massive processing power and restrictions on the number of transactions per hour. The reality is far away from simple when it comes to the ultimate notion of a method for connecting the IP registries around the world via a single distributed ledger. Remember, successful and proactive management of IPRs using blockchain requires having a standardized platform that is adopted internationally. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

Don’t forget to follow us on social media:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/trademarkmaldives/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/trademarkmaldiv

Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/company/trademarkmaldives/

Pinterest – https://in.pinterest.com/trademarkmaldives/

Tumblr – https://trademarkmaldives.tumblr.com/

Music Companies Including Universal Threaten to Sue TikTok Over Copyright Infringement

Music Companies Including Universal Threaten to Sue TikTok Over Copyright Infringement

A body representing a lot of music publishing companies, including Universal, has quite recently threatened to sue TikTok (a Chinese video-sharing app and social networking platform) over Copyright Infringement.

For quite a while now, TikTok has become immensely popular as millions of people across the globe upload their short video clips on the platform, often indulging in lip-syncing with the background music. However, various music rights-holders think that the Chinese-owned video-sharing app doesn’t own the adequate licenses for the music used in its videos. According to a few sources, such music right-holders are now willing to initiate legal proceedings against TikTok.

David Israelite, the chief executive at the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA – a trade association for the American music publishing industry), has stated that filing a Copyright Infringement Lawsuit against TikTok is most probably the future step as he could estimate that even more than 50% of the music publishing market remains unlicensed with the video-sharing app.

Since last year, the world’s largest music company, Universal Music, has been in licensing negotiations with TikTok as the company is looking forward to extracting more money from the video-sharing platform as its user base balloons. However, the publishing arm of Universal Music still doesn’t have any licensing agreement with TikTok in place. It implies that the songwriters at Universal Music, which include Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Elton John, and Billie Eilish, don’t get paid any royalties as and when their songs are inserted in the background music of TikTok videos. Many people believe that this level of blatant copyright infringement is rarely seen that too by a large multinational company.

A TikTok spokesperson, on the other hand, stated that the platform is proud to support the music industry with a plethora of licenses that it owns in place. He further said that the details of any discussions or agreements between TikTok and its partners remain private and confidential at all times and in all aspects.

The NMPA represents a lot of songwriters and music publishers in the United States and holds a previous track record of suing many widely-known companies such as YouTube, Spotify, and Peloton, and often ending up winning settlement money.  In 2016, Spotify had agreed to pay somewhere around $30m to the songwriters for unpaid royalties, and Peloton, earlier this year, settled for an undisclosed amount of money with the NMPA.

When it comes to the music industry, copyrights are generally dealt with separately on the publishing side, which covers songwriting, and the recorded music side, which covers the phase of representing the actual music tracks.

Without any second thoughts, online streaming services have indeed revived the music industry by funneling billions back to well-known music labels. Such companies fiercely safeguard their share of the streaming riches via high stake licensing agreements and negotiations with Google, Spotify, Apple, and many others. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

Don’t forget to follow us on social media:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/trademarkmaldives/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/trademarkmaldiv

Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/company/trademarkmaldives/

Pinterest – https://in.pinterest.com/trademarkmaldives/

Tumblr – https://trademarkmaldives.tumblr.com/

Solaria Corp Sues Canadian Solar Inc Alleging Patent Infringement

Solaria Corp Sues Canadian Solar Inc Alleging Patent Infringement

A US-based solar technology company, Solaria Corporation, that specializes in designing, developing, and manufacturing crystalline solar modules has quite recently filed a Patent Infringement lawsuit against Canadian Solar Inc., (a publicly-traded company specializing in manufacturing solar PV modules and running large scale solar projects) in Federal District Court for the Northern District of California.

The lawsuit has claimed that with operations primarily in China and elsewhere in Asia, Canadian Solar has infringed upon Solaria’s US patent. The patent covers a process corresponding to separating the photovoltaic (PV) strips from the solar cells for use in tiled or the widely-known shingled solar modules, which are way more efficient than the conventional solar modules and have higher power as well. Solaria has further asserted in its lawsuit that it had first introduced its high-efficiency, high-density module technology to Canadian Solar in 2014. At that time, the representatives of Canadian Solar had analyzed Solaria’s next-generation shingling technology for a potential licensing contract. After the subsequent collaborations between both the companies over the ensuing year, in which Solaria has disclosed its business strategies and proprietary technology to Canadian Solar under a non-disclosure agreement, there wasn’t any licensing deal made in the end.

In a quite apparent reference to Solaria’s proprietary HDM technology, Canadian Solar came up with its “HiDM” shingled modules in 2019 and started marketing and selling them in the US. Solaria has stated in its complaint filed that Canadian Solar’s HiDM shingled modules infringe its patent, for which, it is now looking forward to seeking injunctive relief and damages.

Suvi Sharma, the CEO at Solaria Corporation, has said that the company has invested even more than $200 million over the last decade in developing its technology for creating the most advanced solar panels across the globe. He further mentioned that if foreign companies like Canadian Solar ignore the value of American patents and violate Solaria’s core Intellectual Property (IP), the company would always take action to enforce and protect the technology that required so much investment and effort to develop.

Solaria Corp has indicated that it may bring some additional claims, including a claim for misappropriation of trade secrets and additional patent infringement claims, if warranted.

With a strong track record and a 20-year history in product development and solar power innovation, Solaria Corp has been efficiently delivering solutions that address a unique set of requirements for commercial and residential solar markets. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

Don’t forget to follow us on social media:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/trademarkmaldives/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/trademarkmaldiv

Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/company/trademarkmaldives/

Pinterest – https://in.pinterest.com/trademarkmaldives/

Tumblr – https://trademarkmaldives.tumblr.com/

How to Protect Mobile Apps against Intellectual Property Theft?

How to Protect Mobile Apps against Intellectual Property Theft?

The speed with which enterprises across different sectors and industries are undergoing digital transformations has left the majority struggling for the protection of their data and Intellectual Property (IP). The reports showing tremendous losses due to theft and duplication of mobile apps worldwide each year clarifies that only firewalls are no longer sufficient to protect these assets. As more and more companies adopt the use of mobile devices and applications, the threats extend far beyond the traditional concepts. With the estimation that 80% of tasks would be going to take place through mobile apps by 2020, securing them must be the top priority for their developers. Businesses should realize that if a mobile app can make them; it can also break them in case the innovative and valuable source code gets stolen. It is because mobile apps are inherently vulnerable to hacking, copying, and more. To understand this phenomenon and learn how to protect your mobile applications against the growing threat of IP theft, read further.

What is IP Theft in Regards to Mobile Apps?

Intellectual property refers to a category of valuable assets that includes intangible creations of human intellect. In general, types of IP vary from country to country; however, some most common ones are copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and patents. Digital IP encompasses algorithms and source codes, while mobile IP theft involves piracy and cloning of whole or parts of mobile apps.

Why and How Should You Protect your Mobile Apps?

Designed to bring a multitude of services at the users’ fingertips, mobile apps’ flexibilities and portabilities make them attractive to not just users but infringers as well. Hence, it is as imperative to fully preserve your app’s functionality as it is to protect the app itself. Well, mobile application protection software is an excellent tool to safeguard your app. By mutually reinforcing multiple layers of non-stop protection integrated into your app’s code, it can defend your app’s integrity and buzz off security threats while optimizing app performance. Nonetheless, relying on application protection software alone may not be sufficient in many cases, especially when the theft of unique code or app can result in reputational losses. Therefore, in addition to mobile application protection software, you must emphasize protecting your apps with patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other relevant Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs). For instance, copyright registration can prevent copycats from copying your app codes or user interface (UI) elements. Besides, if you want to safeguard your apps’ artistic aspects like images, sound, videos, etc., then also Copyright Protection is the best tool.

Filing a Patent Application is another significant way to reinforce the protection of your mobile app. Although, in general, the technological arrangement of mobile apps and the way how they communicate with other mobile apps/devices and servers are patentable, the patentability criteria still vary from country to country. Hence, to avoid any delay or monetary loss due to the rejection of your patent application, you must always proceed after ensuring if your app is eligible to obtain Patent Protection. A knowledgeable Patent Attorney can assist you in checking whether your app suffices the patentability criteria or not, learning How to Apply for a Patent without committing any mistake, and more.

The name and logo that make the viewer identify and distinguish your mobile app from others are crucial assets, and no one except you should make profits from these. Trademarks are the IPRs that have been intended to safeguard one’s identity by preventing others from using the same or similar name or mark, which may create confusion. A Registered Trademark will also increase your mobile apps’ credibility, and thus serve you with more users. Hence, you should never miss out on the opportunity of securing your app’s name and logo under Trademark Protection.  

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, ensuring comprehensive protection of your mobile application against IP theft is not only arduous but appears impossible in some cases. However, if used together, the above-mentioned mobile application protection software and Intellectual Property Protection tools will never let you down due to the theft or misuse of your app. So, whether you are coming up with a new app or revamping an already existing one, it is always advisable to devise an appropriate strategy by combining these two protection shields. Don’t forget that it is the aptest way to make benefits from your mobile app without any concern in today’s era, where such applications are a part of continuously changing and fast-moving technology. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

Don’t forget to follow us on social media:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/trademarkmaldives/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/trademarkmaldiv

Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/company/trademarkmaldives/

Pinterest – https://in.pinterest.com/trademarkmaldives/

Tumblr – https://trademarkmaldives.tumblr.com/

 

4 Simple Steps to Secure Website’s Content with Copyright

4 Simple Steps to Secure Website’s Content with Copyright

Your website content that represents your business online is one of the most considerable aspects distinguishing you and your competitors. It is what makes customers find you and buy from you. As a content creator, you put hours into creating unique and eye-catchy content that helps you in attracting your potential consumers and search engines like Google, Bing, etc. Google and many other search engines frown on duplicate content and thus, push the related site to lower rankings. The lower your website ranks within the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs), the less traffic you get. Therefore, to list your website amongst high rankers on SERPs and make expected earnings as well as brand equity, it is crucial to prevent your content from being stolen or used by unauthorized users. In today’s continuously turning digital world, Copyright Registration is an excellent approach to prohibit others from violating your original content, which is your Intellectual Property (IP). 

Here, you will discover four simple steps to register a copyright for your website content according to the U.S. Copyright Law. The law states that your content is copyrighted as soon as it gets published and you need not necessarily register a copyright for the same. However, several IP Lawyers believe that doing so will help the original owner to prove his ownership if he/she comes across lawsuits like Copyright Infringement. The below step-wise process will aid you in obtaining the copyright protection that not just legally safeguard your website’s content but also enhance your business’s integrity.

The Process to Register Copyright for Website’s Content

  1. Make Use of Copyright Symbol

However, adding a copyright symbol to your content doesn’t fall under the registration process, but it is beneficial as doing so will result in the fast processing of your application. Besides, having a copyright symbol will help you in preventing unauthorized users from stealing your content by making them comprehend that the specific content is your IP, and they need to seek your permission for using it.

  1. Gather and List Materials To be Copyrighted

Undoubtedly, all of us want to protect our websites completely, but for full protection, we have to register copyrights for individual blogs, images, and any other media. It is because the U.S. Copyright Office considers all these to be separate entities, and therefore, single copyright for a site may not fully protect all posts, media files, etc. Luckily, it is possible to register collections of content, which means we won’t need to apply for individual copyright for every post and image. In other words, we can prevent the content on our websites by categorizing it under separate lists and then, filing a copyright application for each list. Hence, going through the website carefully to compile lists of content to be registered is a vital step while registering copyright.

  1. Submit Copyright Registration Application

If you are done with the task of compiling lists of content to be registered, then the next step is to file a copyright registration application. Nonetheless, before filling any form, it is imperative to produce hard copies of your content and understand that registration of the copyright is possible in two ways: online or via mail. To register online, you have to access an online application by creating an account with the copyright office. After that, you need to find a form that suits your content followed by filling it with the required details and ultimately submitting it. On the other side, if you want to carry out the submission through the mail, then there is a need to find out the suitable form, fill it, and finally mail it along with the set amount of filing fee. Your work doesn’t limit to just submission of the copyright application; instead, you have to keep an eye on its status until it gets processed.

  1. Create Schedule to Copyright New Material On Regular Basis 

Once your application gets approved, you will never have to renew the registration. However, note that the new content added to your website in the future will not automatically get protected by the registered copyright. Submitting a new registration application whenever you come up with additional content will be advantageous in maintaining robust and up-to-date protection. It will also appear efficient in preventing payment of complete filing fee for every new content and assuring that all your posts, images, or other content are safe. Therefore, you are always suggested to set reminders or add dates for registration updates to your calendar.

Importance of Copyrighting Your Website’s Content

A copyright is an Intellectual Property Right (IPR) that empowers you to control how your creative works, including books, movies, content, etc., can be accessed or used by others. Registered copyright provides rights that prohibit others from infringing on your IP assets. In short, registering a copyright is the most efficient approach to obtain Intellectual Property Protection that not only keeps you away from infringement losses, encompassing low website rankings on SERPs, less traffic, or more, but also creates integrity, which will result in noteworthy profits. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

Don’t forget to follow us on social media:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/trademarkmaldives/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/trademarkmaldiv

Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/company/trademarkmaldives/

Pinterest – https://in.pinterest.com/trademarkmaldives/

Tumblr – https://trademarkmaldives.tumblr.com/

Trump Urges SC Stay Out of Copyright Dispute between Google & Oracle

Trump Urges SC Stay Out of Copyright Dispute between Google & Oracle

The Trump administration recently urged the Supreme Court (SC) to stay out of a long-running Copyright Infringement dispute between Google and Oracle Corporation, dealing a remarkable blow to Google’s efforts to evade an $8 billion damages award.

The dispute billed as the copyright battle of the decade is related to software interfaces known as API declarations, which are shorthand commands facilitating prewritten complex computer functions. As per the plaint, Google used a trove of Oracle-owned Java API declarations while building its Android smartphone operating system (OS).

The Trump administration brief stated that Google copied over 11,500 lines of computer code verbatim as well as the complex structure inherent in that code to develop its competing commercial product. The record also demonstrates that Google’s unauthorized copying has harmed the market for Oracle’s Java platform.

In 2010, Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems, which originally developed the API declarations. Soon after, Oracle sued Google in federal court for patent and copyright infringement claiming that Google impermissibly copied its API declarations. The litigation continued for years, but then Google questions the SC ‘whether or not APIs are copyrightable in the first place.’ In Google’s view, APIs are a method of operation as they help developers to access prewritten complex functions and according to the Federal Copyright Act, Copyright Protection doesn’t extend to ‘methods of operation.’

Google firstly explained that the API declarations make developers learn how to access the prewritten functions to perform tasks by implementing codes. It then added that in this respect, the APIs are analogous to rules developers are trained to follow while writing programs in Java language, and if these rules were changed, the prewritten methods would not work. That’s why the declarations are a necessary part of operating the libraries of prewritten codes.

The Trump administration disagreed by saying that the APIs cannot count as a method of operation just because they perform functions.

The government said that although there are conditions in which all computer codes appear as a method of operating a computing device, and the Copyright Act makes it clear that the computer codes can obtain copyright protection.

Giving the federal government’s views remarkable credence, the justices at the SC ask for its guidance about whether or not to take the case. Nevertheless, Google contends the federal pleas courts are split as to if copyright protections reach software interfaces such as APIs. The justices are more likely to take case emphasizing questions of law over which several courts disagree.

Google prevailed at the first trial of the case in 2012, where a jury deadlocked over Oracle’s claims, prompting the judges therein to sign with Google. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, a court for patent appeals, changed that decision and ordered another new trial in 2014. Google petitioned the Federal Circuit’s ruling to the SC, but they turned its request down in 2015.

In the second trial followed in 2016, a jury sided with Google on finding its use of API declarations as fair use. Nonetheless, the Federal Circuit reversed that verdict, stating Google had not involved in fair use, and forwarded the case to a lower court for a trial on damages. As that decision is still pending before the SC, the judges asked the Trump administration to weigh in on the supplication on April 29. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

Don’t forget to follow us on social media:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/trademarkmaldives/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/trademarkmaldiv

Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/company/trademarkmaldives/

Pinterest – https://in.pinterest.com/trademarkmaldives/

Tumblr – https://trademarkmaldives.tumblr.com/

Uganda Government Bans Red Beret, the Opposition’s Trademark

Uganda Government Bans Red Beret, the Opposition’s Trademark

Uganda government on 30th September 2019 designated the red beret and tunic as official military clothing that could put the civilians who wear them behind bars, thus permanently preventing the public from wearing the uniform of the leading opposition leader Bobi Wine and his supporters.

Bobi Wine, the pop star who upturned as a leading opposition figure has announced that he is running for the president position against longtime leader Yoweri Museveni in 2021 and has made the red beret his signature, calling it a “symbol of resistance.”

The beret, which is also worn by some soldiers, was incorporated in Uganda’s first ever gazette of all military clothing, stating that members of the public who found in possession of the items are liable to punishment involving imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.

Richard Karemire, the army spokesman of Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in a statement said that the dress code for the UPDF is gazetted. The action was supported by the army’s top authorities, which also endorsed the dress committee for concluding the task allotted to it years back.

He added that it demonstrates the commitment to define the identity and outlook of a trained army as well as adhering to a single East African Community (EAC) protocol.

‘People Power’ Reacts

However, Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, did not comment on the new rules as he is out of the nation, but a leader in his “People Power” movement, which is yet to register as a political party, announced that they would not end wearing the specific clothing.

The “People Power” is not limited to just a red beret; instead, it is more influential than their symbol. They are a part of the booming political movement fighting for the future of Uganda, and they will continue their struggle for democracy.

Bobi Wine has disturbed the Ugandan government and authorities who see him as an overwhelming threat to put an end to Yoweri Museveni’s more than three decades in power.

Ivan Boowe, the youth leader, said that they would continue to wear the revolutionary red berets and tunic.

He added that no intimation could make them afraid and prevent exercising their rights. By designating their trademark/dress code as official military wear, the government is making attempts to ban the People Power Movement, but they are ready to face and respond to any action the government takes. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

Don’t forget to follow us on social media:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/trademarkmaldives/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/trademarkmaldiv

Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/company/trademarkmaldives/

Pinterest – https://in.pinterest.com/trademarkmaldives/

Tumblr – https://trademarkmaldives.tumblr.com/

5 Things Startups Must Know About Intellectual Property Law

5 Things Startups Must Know About Intellectual Property Law

The driving force behind almost every startup is the novel idea or product with which it enters into the market. Putting this idea or product into practice correctly and securely is what transforms small startups into million-dollar corporations. For this reason, startups should have a well-protected Intellectual Property (IP) strategy, which acts as a significant aspect of their competitive advantage and attractiveness to consumers as well as investors. In this way, IP is an asset that can enhance the commercial value of your businesses, and Intellectual Property Protection is what secures the IP intended to grow your startup. Besides attracting investors, suppliers, consumers, and more, IP protection can put legal checks on your competition by preventing others from infringing on and profiting from your unique assets. So if you want to achieve success in today’s competitive market, it is crucial to obtain robust IP protection for your assets. The first thing that you should do in this regard is to be aware of the five vital components of Intellectual Property Law.

Five Significant Things about Intellectual Property Law

  1. Types of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)

In general, startups seek protection for their inventions, logos, software, and business names. Based on this, intellectual property for startups includes a wide range of IPRs like trademarks, patents, trade secrets, and copyrights. Each of these different types of rights applies to a specific class of assets. For instance, patents protect inventions and ideas, copyrights safeguard software and creative works, trademarks secure brand names, logos, and symbols that are capable of distinguishing one’s business from others. Trade secrets work when your company comes up with a ‘secret’ manufacturing approach that provides you a competitive advantage over your competitors.

  1. How to Sell Intellectual Property

Do you want to sell your startup? It is advisable to consult an experienced IP attorney as, nowadays, when many companies purchase startups based on their IP portfolios, it is common to face issues regarding the proper ownership of IP. Hence, to avoid glitches that may leave you with a comparatively lower valuation than what you deserve, emphasize signing any dotted line under the supervision of a skilled lawyer.

  1. How to Address Intellectual Property Agreements

If your startup’s intellectual property has been stolen, copied, modified, or used in any other manner without your permission, you can get monetary compensation depending on the severity of the infringement. In the present times, federal courts of every country have specific jurisdictions related to Copyright Infringement, Patent Protection, etc. That’s why if someone has stolen your IP and uses it for his benefits, be ready to deal with him legally. First of all, contact the offender through a cease and desist letter, which should address the following:

  • What got infringed,
  • The protections in place,
  • The severity of the infringement,
  • The remedial actions that unauthorized user should take,
  • The legal actions that you expect if the infringer fails to comply.
  1. International Intellectual Property Protections

Nearly every country possesses different IP laws associated with How to Patent an Invention, Brand Name Registration, etc. For example, In China, the government emphasizes ‘first-to-file’ rule, i.e., it doesn’t care about who is the first creator of a product; instead, it focuses on who is the first to File a Trademark Application. Hence, before proceeding towards international markets, you should familiarize yourself with the unique trade secret, trademark, and Patent Laws in such countries. Having insight into the country-specific laws at the beginning of the process will help you in preventing the hike in expenses and complexity at the time of applying for an International Trademark, Patent, Copyright, and more.

  1. Legal Counsel

In today’s challenging era where businesses never hesitate to put obstacles in the path of one another’s success, there is an enormous need to enter into the marketplace with robust IP protection. Hiring a legal counsel having years of experience in this industry is one of the best ways to safeguard your IP. Apart from providing the beneficial guidelines regarding Application Processes, Patent Search, and more, a proficient IP attorney can help you in identifying ‘gray areas’ that may attract lawsuits, government investigations, etc. Assuredly, many startups find it expensive to hire legal representatives. If you are also not having sufficient money, then don’t worry as the advent of some programs to alleviate these expenses has made it easier to secure your IP with a limited budget.

Stay Ahed

Whether you are having an idea for a startup or already running one, getting your intellectual property protections in place is the foremost thing you should consider to lay the foundation of your future success. Nonetheless, as nearly every startup and even established businesses are running in the same race, it is imperative to stay ahead of others by being quick in regards to expanding nationally and internationally earlier rather than later. Don’t forget that the delay on your part can enable your competitors to push you behind them.

For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

Don’t forget to follow us on social media:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/trademarkmaldives/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/trademarkmaldiv

Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/company/trademarkmaldives/

Pinterest – https://in.pinterest.com/trademarkmaldives/

Tumblr – https://trademarkmaldives.tumblr.com/

Older Posts
Newer Posts