COPYRIGHT BASICS What is Fair use of a Copyright? Fair use is a legal doctrine that promotes freedom of expression by permitting the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works in certain circumstances. Criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research—are examples of activities that may qualify as fair use. Protect your ideas! Purpose and character of…
Non-Disclosure agreements are commonly referred to as confidentiality or assignment agreements. These are legally binding agreements that establishes a confidential relationship. Disclosing and/or receiving parties sign the agreement and agree that confidential information that is shared will not be made available to others.
Each trademark application is assigned to a Trademark Examiner who examines the application for compliance with federal law. Likelihood of confusion between the mark of the applicant and a mark already registered or in a prior-filed pending application is the common reason for rejection. In the ex parte examination of a trademark application, a refusal under §2(d)…
Improper Subject Matter for Design Patents Source: USPTO.GOV A design for an article of manufacture that is dictated primarily by the function of the article lacks ornamentality and is not proper statutory subject matter under 35 U.S.C. 171. Specifically, if at the time the design was created, there was no unique or distinctive shape or…
ARE YOUR PATENT OFFICE MAINTENANCE FEES DUE IN 2020? Who can pay? Maintenance fees and any necessary surcharges may be paid by the patentee or by any person or organization on behalf of a patentee. What to include with payment? You must include both the patent number and corresponding application number with your maintenance fee…
The term of a federal trademark is 10 years, with 10-year renewal terms. However, the USPTO requires that between the fifth and sixth year after the date of registration, the registrant must file an affidavit stating that the mark is still in use.
Step 1: Choose a Strong Mark. Step 2: Choose a Mark That Isn’t Confusingly Similar to Another Mark. Step 3: Begin Using Your Mark in Commerce As Soon as Possible. Step 4: Submit a Complete and Accurate Trademark Application. Step 5: If You Receive an Office Action, Respond Promptly and Thoroughly.
There are various types of patents that inventors should be aware: UTILITY PATENTS There are two types of utility and plant patent applications: provisional and nonprovisional. A provisional application is a quick and inexpensive way for inventors to establish a U.S. filing date for their invention, which can be claimed in a later-filed nonprovisional application….
What is Fair use of a Copyright? Fair use is a legal doctrine that promotes freedom of expression by permitting the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works in certain circumstances. Section 107 of the Copyright Act provides the statutory framework for determining whether something is a fair use and identifies certain types of uses—such as criticism, comment, news…
Major findings: The share of patents that include at least one woman as an inventor increased from about 7 percent in the 1980s to 21 percent by 2016. Even with this increase in patent counts, women inventors made up only 12 percent of all inventors on patents granted in 2016. Gains in female participation in…
