America
BlackBerry Loses Payment Dispute with Nokia to Pay $137 Million
An arbitration court ordered smartphone pioneer BlackBerry Ltd. to pay 137 million USD to Nokia to settle a payment dispute. The International Court of Arbitration ruled earlier that BlackBerry had failed to make certain payments to Nokia under a patent license contract, BlackBerry said in the early of December. The ruling, in a previously undisclosed disagreement over a smartphone technology licensing deal signed in 2012, highlights the financial risks technology companies face from disputes over intellectual property, which are sometimes resolved through confidential arbitration processes unknown to investors.
Aquazzura Withdraws its Trademark Infringement Lawsuit Against Ivanka Trump and Reaches a Settlement
Recently, Italian luxury shoemaker brand Aquazzura reached a settlement with Ivanka Trump brand (the same name as the daughter of U.S. President Donald Trump) and decided to end its trademark infringement lawsuit filed before. On June of last year, the founder of Aquazzura brand Edgardo Osorio released a statement and formally filed a lawsuit accusing Ivanka Trump of plagiarizing shoe design, making illegal competition and deceptive trade. Edgardo Osorio also stated that the Hettie sandal launched by Ivanka Trump Collection “virtually copied” the popular sandal style of Wild Thing designed by him, and therefore claiming compensation for damage and legal fee from Ivanka Trump brand. Now, documents indicate that Aquazzura has reached a settlement with Ivanka Trump brand and Marc Fisher Footwear but the detailed information of the agreement between the two sides has not been released.
USPTO Patent Fees To Go up on January 2018
Effective on January 16, 2018, the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will increase a majority of their filing fees by between 4% to, in some cases, 72%. The increase in filing fees will affect items such as basic filing fees for utility patents, patent search filing fees, post allowance fees and Patent Trial and Appeal Fees. The USPTO set certain patent fees as authorized by the Leahy- Smith America Invents Act. According to the USPTO, the fee schedule is projected to recover the aggregate estimated cost of the USPTO's patent operations, PTAB operations and administrative services.
USPTO Extends Patent Agreements with JPO and KIPO
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has signed patent search agreements with both the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). The expanded pilot builds on the successful first phase that was recently completed in the summer of 2017, according to a press release from the USPTO, published on November 6. Memorandums of cooperation (MOCs) were signed at bilateral meetings held on the margins of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. Joseph Matal, director of the USPTO, signed the MOC with KIPO on October 1 and with the JPO on October 2. The programme is “designed to provide the examiners with the best prior art by combining the search expertise of examiners at the USPTO and JPO or KIPO before issuing an office action in the patent application”. Since November 1, applicants wishing to take advantage of the benefits of the programme will need to have unexamined corresponding counterpart applications in the USPTO and in either or both KIPO and the JPO.
Europe
2017 Europe Data Protection Congress Stresses Importance of Data Safety
From November 8 to 9, with over 1,500 attendees, 2017 Europe Data Protection Congress ended successfully in Brussels held by International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) which is the most biggest and comprehensive global information privacy community in the world and it is committed to helping members successfully manage risk, protect privacy data and make professionals to acquire enough resources and opportunities to promote their career. Under changing electronic era, data safety attaches much importance to all industries. As the only China media, China IP Magazine also attended this congress.
EPO Issues 2016 Quality Report Officially
Recently EPO published 2016 Quality Report in its official website with 40 pages. This report explains how EPO guarantees the high quality of patents granted by EPO and how EPO supports innovation, promotes economical growth and creates more job opportunities through providing patents with high quality. Its main content includes basis of EPO service quality, quality assurance in the procedure of patent application, timeliness of procedures as well as suggestions and feedback of users and stakeholders.
EPO Publishes New Version of Guidelines For Patent Examination
The new version of Guidelines For Patent Examination published by European Patents Organization (EPO) was officially effective on November 1. The new edition of Guidelines For Patent Examination which provides general instructions on the varied aspects of applications and patents in Europe reflects case law formed in the fields of graphical user interface and information expression recently as well as shows a series of changes, including to oral proceedings, fees and searches.
2017 Food & Beverage and Law & IP Conference Shows the Latest Developments on Food and Beverage Industry
On November 16, the 3rd Food & Beverage and Law & IP was held in Hilton London Olympia, London. IP experts and jurists concentrating on food shared the latest developments in food and beverage industry. The Jurist from Unilever, Mr. Neil Fether addressed his opening remarks for the conference. In the changeable age, reliable brands with high-quality are rather valuable to customers. Therefore, strategy of protecting brands should still be the key point. More than 100 participants from all over the world joined the conference and China Intellectual Property Magazine was the only Chinese media cooperation partner.
The Pan-European Intellectual Property Summit Successfully Held in Brussels
The Pan-European Intellectual Property Summit was successfully held on Dec. 7-8 in Brussels. Around 400 worldwide participants attended this summit. The main topics are as follows: the Fourth Industrial Revolution and its impact on IP, fair remuneration of authors and performers, patent system, online trademark infringement and enforcement, FRAND and SEP’s (licensing, litigation and alternate dispute resolution in SEP cases), data and industry 4.0, review copyright package. China IP Magazine attended this event as the only Chinese media partner.
Asia
SIPO Actively Attends In-Depth Exchanges With KIPO and JPO in 2017 TRIPO Heads Meeting
On December 6, the TRIPO Heads Meeting was held in Korea. Commissioner of SIPO Shen Changyu, KIPO Commissioner Sung Yunmo and JPO Commissioner Naoko Munakata attended it. They signed Minutes of 2017 TRIPO Heads Meeting. The three offices reported on the latest developments in the intellectual property work in their respective countries and conducted in-depth exchanges on cooperation in the fields of review, design etc. In addition, they exchanged views on the feasibility of the newly added cooperation topics, discussed and adopted the framework of cooperation between the three offices and the cooperation logo. It was also decided that the next meeting would be held in China in 2018.
Indian Council of Medical Research Releases Handbook on IP and Technology Transfer
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) released Handbook on IP & Technology Transfer to increase IP awareness among ICMR scientists and help them protect all new knowledge before publication. At present, ICMR has filed more than 140 patents and owns over 50 technological combinations. This handbook is a detailed FAQs brochure related to IP and gives a brief introduction to the concept of IP, necessary information for scientists to apply for patents and it is also another effort made to increase researchers’ awareness on IP protection. This handbook consists of six parts, including the basic IP information, patent, guidance of inventors, International application of IP and so on.
Australia Plans To Abolish the System of Innovative Patent
Recently, as for the investigation report about Australia IP system made by Australia Productivity Commission, Australian government published its answer externally. The suggestions put forward in the above report includes: to abolish its system of innovative patent, further improve the threshold standard of patent creativity steps etc. At present, the government is revising 1990 Patent Law and then to abolish the system of innovative patent. The government has clearly expressed that it will continually explore new mechanism in order to help small and medium enterprises to learn and make full use of their own IP, and ensure the reasonable use of IP and acquire adequate protection.
Memorandum of Understanding on IP Cooperation Signed Between China and Philippines
Recently, witnessed by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Philippine President Duterte, the Memorandum of Understanding on Intellectual Property Cooperation between State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China (SIPO) and Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOP) was officially signed in Manila. The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding marks the formal establishment of bilateral cooperation between SIPO and IPOP which will play an important role in encouraging innovation, helping Chinese enterprises to "go global" and promoting economic and social development. In the future, both sides will strengthen cooperation in the fields such as high-level dialogues and patent examination etc.
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