IPNews® – New York-based Sephora has been sued by boutique retailer MiN New York related to use of the term “Fragrance Flights.”
MiN began offering the fragrance sampling experiences to its customers in 2010. In response to MiN’s trademark infringement claims, Sephora is alleging that the concept and term Fragrance Flights is generic, does not constitute a brand, and does not cause confusion. To continue reading, click: Fragrance Fight
IPNews® – Callaway Golf has reached a settlement agreement with Acushnet after a six-year patent infringement battle.
After many victories and set-backs for both companies in the long-running lawsuit, the parties finally reached an out-of-court settlement agreement. The settlement will allow both companies to manufacture and market golf balls and golf club components under each other’s patents. To continue reading, click: Callaway Settles Patent Claims
IPNews® – Burberry Group, the London high fashion house, has filed a complaint with a New York federal court, asking it to declare that the British company did not infringe on the trademark for late actor Humphrey Bogart.
Burberry, which licensed the image from Corbis of Bogart wearing a Burberry trench coat in his portrayal from the classic, “Casablanca,” claims that the defendant, Bogart, LLC is attempting to exert trademark rights that it does not possess. To continue reading, click: Don’t Bogart My Image
IPNews® – Six years after filing an application with the USPTO, Facebook has been granted a patent related to its News Feed.
The patent is described as: “Communicating a newsfeed of media content based on a member’s interactions in a social network environment.” The invention allows the social networking giant to let its users view status updates, pictures, and links to videos of friends, and also the actions those friends take such as posting messages or playing games. To continue reading, click: News Feed Patent
IPNews® – In a five year long battle in German courts, IPCom was recently dealt a blow after it had accused Nokia and HTC of patent infringement.
In a recent ruling the European Patent Office has ruled that one of IPCom’s patents in question is invalid and in doing so declared a victory for Nokia and HTC. IPCom has stated that it will challenge the EPO’s decision. To continue reading, click: Nokia and HTC v. IPCom
IPNews® – A U.S. District Court in Delaware recently ruled that Allergan’s patents related to its Sanctura XR drug are invalid.
The ruling stems from a 2009 patent infringement complaint filed by Allergan against Watson Pharmaceuticals, in its attempts to prevent Watson from filing an abbreviated new drug application with the FDA for the generic version of Sanctura. Allergan currently has two other patent infringement complaints filed against Watson. To continue reading click: Allergan Loses Patents
IPNews® – President Obama has ordered the Department of Veterans Affairs to file for the trademark ‘GI Bill’ in order to stop for-profit schools from using the Bill to target members of the military and their families.
Many of these schools are non-accredited and are participating in what some are calling scams to take advantage of partially disabled veterans all in an effot to receive federal funds from the GI Bill. To continue reading, click: GI Bill Trademark
IPNews® – Duff Beer UG, a German-based brewer, is attempting to register the trademark “Duff” with the European Union general court, in its attempt to cash in on cartoon character Homer Simpson’s favorite beverage.
The German beer maker is asking a Luxembourg court to overturn a ruling from the EU trademark agency that prevented it from registering the trademark in black, white, and red, the same colors used to label the beer cans on the animated cartoon, The Simpsons. To continue reading, click: Duff Beer Fight
IPNews® – Fiat has registered the 4C trademark with the USPTO, indicating that the Italian sports car line Alfa Romeo is making its return to the United States automotive market.
The 4C trademark, issued April 10th, will not only cover the line of fast cars, but will also cover Alfa Romeo-related clothing and accessories. The sports car line will return to American drivers after a twenty-year absence and will compete with BMW, the industry leader for high-performance sports cars. To continue reading, click: Return of Alfa Romeo
IPNews® – The world’s big four tobacco companies including Phillip Morris are attempting to protect their trademarks in Australia due to new legislation there that will greatly limit trademark use on cigarette packaging.
The new law will require that all tobacco products be sold in mostly unbranded packaging, without any logos, and include warnings about the dangers of smoking along with graphic images of the effects of smoking on the lungs. The tobacco companies are making a constitutional argument. To continue reading, click: Big Tobacco vs. Australia