sony.jpgIPNews® – In order to take advantage of changes in European copyright law, Sony released 100 copies of a compilation of previously unreleased Bob Dylan recordings.

The European Union recently increased the length of copyright protection from 50 years to 70 years, however, a recording must be published prior to the end of the 50 year deadline to get the extended protection.  Sony just barely made the deadline, getting copies of the unreleased material into a handful of stores shortly after Christmas.

To continue reading, click: Sony Releases Bob Dylan Collection to Preserve Copyright

google.jpgIPNews® – The FTC released a decision last week stating that technology giant Google did not violate antitrust laws.

However, as a stipulation to the agreement, Google agreed to allow its competitors access to certain industry-standard patents that it holds.  Though the agreement is not binding on any other company, it is speculated that the agreement will serve as a guide for other technology companies, which could change the landscape of the patent wars.

To continue reading, click: Google’s FTC Deal Could Alter Landscape of Patent Wars

iphone.jpgIPNews® – Apple will likely have to make another expensive trademark purchase in order to be able to continue selling iPhones in Brazil.

After spending $60 million to purchase the iPad name from a company in China, Apple has run into a Brazilian company that has exclusive rights to the iPhone name in Brazil.  Gradiente, which owns the Brazilian trademark, said it does not have plans to sell its trademark to Apple and will use all means available to it to protect its intellectual property.

To continue reading, click: Apple Likely to Purchase IPHONE Trademark in Brazil

circuit-chip-processor.jpgIPNews® – Chip Maker Marvell Technology Group, is planning to fight a record-breaking $1.17 billion verdict which was issued against it by a Pennsylvania jury.

Carnegie Mellon University filed the lawsuit against Marvell in 2009 for infringing two patents that allow hard disk drive circuits to read data more efficiently from high-speed magnetic disks.  Marvell claims the verdict should be overturned because not only didn’t it infringe, but also the technology from the decade-old patents in question would be impractical to use in its chips.

To continue reading, click: Chip Maker Fights Record-Breaking Verdict in Patent Infringement Case

apple-store.jpgIPNews® – Just before the holidays, Apple’s request for a U.S. ban on Samsung products that infringe its patents was denied by a California federal judge.

U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh said that Apple did not prove that the patents Samsung was found to infringe covered features that play a role in a consumer’s decision to purchase a smartphone.  Because Apple was unable to make this connection, Judge Koh said the company had not shown it would be irreparably harmed if Samsung continued to sell the infringing products and therefore she could not issue the permanent injunction. 

To continue reading, click: Apple Unable to Secure Permanent Injunction

touchscreen.jpgIPNews® – The United States Patent and Trademark Office released a preliminary ruling that one of the patents in question in the Apple and Samsung patent wars is invalid.

Should the ruling stick, it could have lasting consequences for Apple.  Samsung is already bidding for a new trial based on the ruling in order to get Apple’s $1.05 billion damages award reduced.

To continue reading, click: USPTO Rejects Key Apple Patent

music.jpgIPNews® – Neil Young applied for two new trademarks which he plans to use in marketing his new company Pono.

Young has long been a critic of the quality of music available for MP3 players and he plans to offer a better option for consumers with his digital-to-analog online library and portable devices.  Young hopes that Pono will allow listeners to hear music the way musicians intend it to be heard.

To continue reading, click: Neil Young Files Trademarks for Pono Brand

yoga.jpgIPNews® – On Friday a California judge ruled that yoga poses cannot be copyrighted.

Bikram Choudhury, creator of the Bikram hot yoga system, claims that he has the exclusive right to teach his yoga sequences.  However, U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright said that though Bikram can copyright the books and videos describing his methods, he cannot copyright the poses themselves.

To continue reading, click: California Judge Rules Yoga Poses Cannot be Copyrighted

football.jpgIPNews®  – A Washington district judge threw out a copyright claim against a reporter who used National Football Scouting’s player grades in his blog, but he may still be on the hook for trade secret claims.

On dismissing the copyright claim, Federal District Judge Ronald B. Leighton said reporter Rob Rang’s use of the scores is covered under the fair use doctrine.  However, Judge Leighton did not reject the trade secret allegations, which will go to trial in February.

To continue reading, click: Reporter Did Not Infringe Copyright

apple-store.jpgIPNews® – A Southern California jury found that Apple and LG Electronics did not infringe on Alcatel-Lucent’s patents.

Alcatel-Lucent claimed that Apple and LG Electronics had been using three of its patents related to video compression technology without permission.  Apple and LG, however, said they had compensated Alcatel-Lucent through their membership in an industry-wide patent pool.

To continue reading, click: Apple, LG Electronics did not Infringe Alcatel-Lucent’s Patents