camera.jpgIPNews® – A celebrity photo agency accused Buzzfeed Inc. in Los Angeles federal court last week of publishing photos of superstar pop singer Katy Perry in a bikini and comedian and actress Kathy Griffin dancing topless outdoors to its popular news website in violation of the agency’s copyright.

Despite having no license or authorization, Buzzfeed posted the photos to its popular news website, garnering millions of page views, and is thereby liable for infringement, Mavrix Photo Inc. says. The shots depict Perry on a rooftop in a revealing outfit and in and around a swimming pool wearing a bikini, and unrelated images of Griffin wearing nothing but a bikini bottom as she cavorts alongside a dock in Miami. To continue reading, click: Buzzfeed Sued Over Copyright To Katy Perry Bikini Photos, Kathy Griffin Topless Shots

SK_Hynix_e.jpgIPNews® – SK Hynix Inc. told a California federal court Wednesday that it at least deserves a new trial on Rambus Inc.’s dynamic random access memory patent infringement claims, if not a wholesale reversal of the nearly $400 million judgment in Rambus’ favor.

Recent reexamination rulings from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office have invalidated a number of Rambus’ patent claims, and this new evidence warrants either summary judgment in Hynix’s favor or a new trial, Hynix said. A new trial is also needed to weigh evidence related to Rambus’ destruction of documents in the case, according to Hynix. To continue reading, click: SK Hynix Demands New Rambus Patent Trial

fleece.jpgIPNews® – The North Face Apparel Corp. successfully blocked the makers of a clothing line named “The Butt Face” from using The North Face trademark or any confusingly similar or parodic name, with a consent judgment filed Wednesday holding the makers in contempt.

The Missouri district court ruled that The Butt Face violated a 2010 consent injunction resolving a 2009 infringement action The North Face brought against the same individuals over their The South Butt clothing line. James A. Winkelmann Sr., James A. Winkelmann Jr. and their company Why Climb Mountains LLC must now turn over all The Butt Face merchandise for destruction, according to the consent judgment. To continue reading, click: North Face Shuts Down “Butt Face” Apparel Maker With Trademark Contempt Ruling

superman.jpgIPNews® – The heirs of Superman co-creator and original illustrator Joe Shuster lost a crucial ruling Wednesday in their attempt to reclaim the copyrights to the character from DC Comics.

A Los Angeles federal judge ruled that the copyright termination notice the Shuster heirs sent to DC was invalid, as a 1992 agreement between the parties superseded all other copyright grants. DC filed the action in 2010 to secure its interest in the Superman copyrights. To continue reading, click: DC Comics Wins Superman Creator Heirs’ Copyright Challenge

iphone-ipad.jpgIPNews® – The United Kingdom’s Court of Appeal ruled that a lower court judge was right to find Samsung Electronics Co. did not infringe Apple Inc.’s designs when producing its own tablet computers.

The lower court issued its finding of no infringement in July, and ordered Apple to publish advertisements stating that Samsung had not, in fact, copied the tablet design. The Court of Appeal’s decision is valid throughout Europe, though it will likely be appealed to the UK’s Supreme Court. To continue reading, click: UK Court Affirms Samsung Didn’t Copy Apple Tablet Design

cheesecake.jpgIPNews® – The owners of the Longhorn Steakhouse chain of restaurants are facing new trademark infringement claims from a Las Vegas casino that shares the name of the restaurant chain’s Golden Nugget fried cheesecake dessert.

The Golden Nugget Las Vegas has been using the name continuously since it opened in 1946, and owns a number of federally registered trademarks for the name in reference to casino, hotel and restaurant services. Longhorn’s use of the name for its dessert is likely to confuse or deceive consumers, the casino alleges. To continue reading, click: Longhorn Steakhouse Sued By Golden Nugget Casino Over Cheesecake Trademarks

groupon.jpgIPNews® – A California federal judge scolded Groupion LLC Monday for seeking to have him disqualified from hearing its trademark infringement and cybersquatting battle with Groupon Inc., saying its motion was based solely on one adverse ruling.

Groupion sought to have Judge Jeffrey White recused on the grounds that he reviewed and considered documents that they contended were confidential settlement offers. The judge found the motion to be untimely, but even if it wasn’t, it would have failed on the merits, he said. To continue reading, click: Groupon Trademark Judge Admonishes Groupion For Seeking Recusal

pager.jpgIPNews® – The Federal Circuit on Wednesday reversed a Maryland district court’s ruling that Microsoft Inc., Yahoo! Inc. and other software companies did not infringe a patent for a paging system held by Technology Patents LLC.

The appeals court simultaneously affirmed the district court’s decision in favor of a large number of domestic and foreign cell phone companies in the case, including AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Motorola and Vodaphone. TPL sued over 100 companies asserting its rights in the patent in 2007. To continue reading, click: Microsoft, Yahoo Must Face Paging Patent Claims, Federal Circuit Says

tv setup.jpgIPNews® – TiVo Inc.’s damages for Motorola Mobility Inc. and Time Warner Cable Inc.’s alleged infringement of its patented digital video recording technology could add up to billions of dollars, TiVo told a Texas court Monday.

Motorola’s massive production of infringing DVRs outclasses the number of products at issue in TiVo’s previous infringement cases against other companies over the technology, TiVo said in support of its bid to consolidate the case with another involving related claims against Cisco Systems. TiVo has previously settled infringement cases against the likes of Verizon Communications, Dish Network and AT&T for hundreds of millions of dollars. To continue reading, click: TiVo Says It Deserves Billions In Damages In Motorola DVR Patent Lawsuit

helicopter-military.jpgIPNews® – A French court has ruled that Bell Helicopter’s new 429 helicopter does not infringe a Eurocopter-held patent for landing gear equipment, the Textron Inc. subsidiary said Tuesday.

The French court also ordered Eurocopter to shell out for the costs of the proceedings, according to Bell. The companies are still embroiled in ongoing U.S. patent litigation over the landing gear. To continue reading, click: Bell Helicopter Beats Landing Gear Patent Claims In French Court