books-stack.jpgIPNews® – A patent was issued last week to economics professor Joseph Henry Vogel for a system and method for controlling use of academic texts. 

Patent 8,195,571 requires students to participate in a web-based online discussion board, which would count toward their final course grade.  The code to gain access to the discussion board would be obtained when the students purchase the associated textbooks directly from publishers and is meant to curb piracy.  To continue reading, click: Textbook Piracy Patent

bible.jpgIPNews® – The U.S. Military recently revoked authorization for use of military trademarks on bibles. 

The military themed bibles, a product of Lifeway Publishing, included the name and official insignia for each individual branch of the military.  The Department of Defense claims that revocation of the LifeWay trademark agreements was the result of nothing more than a revamping of trademark licensing procedures, and was not a religious issue, but not everyone believes them.  To continue reading, click: No More Military Trademarks on Bibles

keychain_rings.jpgIPNews® – A federal jury recently handed down a decision that directed accessory manufacturer Siskiyou Buckle to pay $75,000 in damages to Coach for trademark infringement. 

The decision also included an injuction to prevent further infringing sales of a key chain that featured the popular purse maker’s recognizable sideways “C” logo.  The latest win for Coach comes on the heels of a class action lawsuit filed in Washington State.  To continue reading, click: Keychain Trademark Battle

vending-machine.jpgIPNews® – AVT, the leader in vending machine design and technology, was recently awarded a patent which allows owners of computerized vending systems to control their vending machines by remote access. 

The patent lists 19 claims including those which would compile sales information, collect marketing analysis, and receive wireless payments from debit or credit cards.  The new technology will allow vending machine owners to offer higher-end merchandise, increase total sales per customer, eliminate vandalism and reduce theft.  To continue reading, click: Vending Machine Patent

target_aim.jpgIPNews® – Ascendant Engineering Services (AES) announced today that it was granted a patent for its ground-breaking small arms weapon shock simulator technology. 

Patent 8,166,797 was awarded for the highly anticipated product, and is intended for use by the U.S. Military and other companies that regularly do business with the Department of Defense.  The newly patented technology was created to replace existing small arms certification processes that require soldiers to fire weapons thousands of times.  To continue reading, click: Weapon Shock Similator Patent

google.jpgIPNews® – SuperSpeed, a company based in Massachusetts, has filed a lawsuit against Google for patent infringement.

The “server and application performance solutions” company claims that Google is infringing on its U.S. patent number 5,918,244 through its newly introduced Google Drive.  The GDrive allows Google account holders storage through its cloud.  To continue reading, click: Google Gets GSued for Patent Infringement

twitter.jpgIPNews® – Twitter took to its own account to tweet a message to its followers announcing the new and improved blue bird logo.

Although the changes may be unnoticeable to some, Twitter is positive that one day its logo will be among the most recognizable in the world.  The new bird, named Larry, is slightly more svelte than its predecessor.  To continue reading, click: Twitter Changes its Trademark Logo

apple-logo-gray.jpgIPNews® – Apple was recently dealt a loss in its patent infringement case against Motorola.

Judge Posner of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois ruled that neither party produced sufficient evidence to prove any measurable harm.  The case may give similar plaintiff’s pause in other pending patent infringement lawsuits.  To continue reading, click: Apple Trial Cancelled

purse.jpgIPNews® – Famous design house Gucci has won its trademark infringement lawsuit against Guess. 

In a recent decision handed down in the Southern District Court of New York, Gucci was awarded $4.66 million in damages and an injuction preventing use of its distinctive logos and design elements.  Though the monetary damages awarded were not as large as Gucci would have desired, the decision represents a major win for designers in an industry that has long been rife with unathorized knock-offs of major trends.  To continue reading, click: Gucci Gets Trademark Win on Guess

cigarette.jpgIPNews® – Vapor Corp., the leading distributor and marketor of electronic cigarettes, filed a non-provisional patent application last week for a padded cartridge on its e-cigarettes.  

Capitalizing on the millions of smokers looking to cut back or quit smoking, the Florida based company filed the original provisional patent for its electric cigarette technology in 2011.  The latest addition to its innovative product line is a padded cartridge that will make the devices look and feel more like real cigarettes.  To continue reading, click: Electronic Cigarette Patent