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

shoes-redsoles.jpgIPNews® – Yves Saint Laurent SAS said Tuesday it wants to drop its counterclaims against Christian Louboutin in Louboutin’s trademark infringement lawsuit over his iconic red-soled shoes, now that the Second Circuit has ruled that YSL’s monochromatic red shoes do not infringe.

The appeals court let YSL off the hook for the infringement claim in September, though it also affirmed the validity of the trademark for Louboutin’s red soles. YSL said it wants to “refocus its energies on its business and creative designs.” To continue reading, click: YSL Seeks To Shut Door On Louboutin Red Shoe Trademark Dispute

iphone.jpgIPNews® – The U.S. International Trade Commission has voted to investigate whether Apple Inc.’s importation of certain iPhone, iPad and Mac computer products violates VirnetX Inc.’s patent rights for devices with secure communications applications, the ITC said Tuesday.

VirnetX asked the ITC in September to institute an investigation into Apple’s allegedly infringing imports and ultimately issue an exclusion order to bar importation of those Apple products, as well as a cease and desist order. VirnetX is now bringing the complaint jointly with SAIC, which sold VirnetX part of its patent portfolio in 2006. To continue reading, click: ITC Says It Will Take Up VirnetX Patent Complaint V. Apple

apple-logo.jpgIPNews® – Apple Inc. won patent protection on Tuesday for a number of inventions including a system of detecting whether an electronic device’s user is authorized to be handling the device or not.

The system can compare photos of users’ faces, voices or heartbeats to determine who is using it and take various security measures if the user is engaging in suspicious behavior. Information on the unauthorized user’s identity can be gathered, and an alert can then be sent to the owner. To continue reading, click: Apple Patents Mode Of Blocking Unauthorized Users Of Devices

burrito.jpgIPNews® – Mexican food maker Gruma Corp. won a second shot on Thursday at its trademark infringement action against the owner of Texas fast food chain Mission Burrito, as the Fifth Circuit ruled that Gruma’s Mission food trademark was likely to be confused with the chain.

The Texas district court was wrong to dismiss Gruma’s claims, and erred in its legal analysis, when the relevant factors should have weighed in favor of Gruma, the appeals court said. In addition to the names’ similarity, the two logos also both feature the top of a Spanish-style mission church, it noted. To continue reading, click: Fifth Circuit Says Mission Burrito Trademark Suit Has Legs

dresses.jpgIPNews® – The Second Circuit on Monday junked a fashion designer’s attempt to resurrect its copyright infringement suit against a rival over a prom dress design.

Jovani Fashion Ltd. cannot show that the decorative design elements of its dress are separable from the utilitarian function of the dress as a piece of clothing, the appeals court ruled. It rejected Jovani’s arguments that the company’s specific combination of sequins, crystals, ruching and tulle do nothing for the garment’s functionality, saying Jovani’s position is too narrow and unsupported by precedent. To continue reading, click: Second Circuit Throws Out Prom Dress Copyright Appeal

medic_alert_bracelet.jpgIPNews® – The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association hit Universal Health Services Inc. with new allegations of trademark infringement on Thursday, claiming the healthcare management company is breaching a previous settlement agreement by using a blue cross design in some of its logos.

BCBSA first sued UHS in December 2009 over the alleged infringement, after spending years sending it letters about the association’s trademark rights to blue crosses. That case was settled in July 2011, but UHS has nevertheless continued to use and attempt to federally register cross designs that incorporate a shade of blue, the association says. To continue reading, click: Blue Cross Sues Universal Health Services For Logo Trademark Infringement

motorcycle.jpgIPNews® – The official business arm of the Hells Angels motorcycle club filed a new trademark infringement action against Toys “R” Us Inc. and yo-yo maker Yomega Corp. in California federal court on Wednesday, alleging the companies ripped off the club’s trademark death head logo to sell a line of yo-yos.

The club has used the trademark featuring a winged skull for over 50 years, and seek to maintain its use for their own gain, Hells Angels Motorcycle Corp.’s complaint in the Eastern District of California says. Yomega and Toys “R” Us have both allegedly made large profits off of the yo-yos, and have refused to pull them from stores despite the club’s written demands, the Hells Angels say. To continue reading, click: Hells Angels Accuse Toys “R” Us, Yo-Yo Maker Of Stealing Death Head Trademark