14th October , 2009

U.S. OLYMPIC COMMITTEE PROTESTS THE OLYMPIAN TRADEMARK

The U.S. Olympic Committee is fighting a trademark application filed by a daily newspaper in Olympia, The Olympian.

A notice of opposition was filed last month by the USOC to an application submitted to the U.S Patent and Trademark Office. The McClatchy Co had sought the trademark after buying the paper from Knight-Ridder.

The USOC mentions that granting a trademark to the newspaper would incorrectly suggest a connection to the world sports event, interfering with licensees and sponsors.

In contrast, The Olympian informs that the 1978 federal law gave the U.S. Olympic Committee exclusive control of Olympic trademarks excluding the Olympic mountains and businesses in Western Washington which use the name Olympic.

EXCLAMATION MARK (!) CAN NOT BE REGISTERED

A German clothing manufacturer Joop! has failed to register ! as a trade mark.

Two versions of the excitable punctuation mark were submitted by Joop! - one on its own and another with an ! "inside a rectangular frame" for trademark registration.

The Court of First Instance in Luxembourg backed a ruling by the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market, which controls trade marks within the EU, stating the ! "lacked distinctive character", and for that reason it cannot be registered under EU law.

The judges however mentioned that the company could register ! "if it became so associated with the company that the public could recognise its products from the symbol alone". Joop! had supplied evidence, comprising "three photos of jeans to which a piece of cloth, or a label, is attached showing an exclamation mark".

PATENT FOR ECOBOOST ENGINES

Ford Motor Co., the U.S. automaker has filed a number of patents in an effort to protect its EcoBoost engines from duplication by competitors..

The engines first used in mainstream vehicles by German carmakers, merge turbo-charging with direct fuel-injection for up to 20 percent better fuel economy than traditional engines generating the same horsepower..

Ford has filed 125 patents related to the technology developed for its first EcoBoost engine, which debuted on the Lincoln MKS this year. Some of the patents have already have been granted.

Brett Hinds, advanced engine design and development manager at Ford, mentions: "The secret to Ford's EcoBoost system isn't just the hardware -- the key is in the Ford control system. Our engineers have the right recipes to integrate various systems like engine, transmission and fuel management, resulting in a seamless, exhilarating driving experience."

FOURTH PATENT FOR PHOTO-CARD PERSONALISATION TECHNOLOGY TO SERVERSIDE

Serverside Group, a Global technology provider, has been granted a fourth patent intended for its core card customization architecture, by the Australian Patent Office. It follows the successful grant of equivalent patents in Europe (September 2007), India (February 2009) and New Zealand (July 2009).

The patents all center on the core Serverside technology which enables a cardholder to design a financial payment card using a personal photo via an online manipulation tool.

The Australian patent grant was published officially on 20 August 2009 with Australian Patent Application No. 2004213957. The patent describes the first of three inventions derived from the original worldwide patent family, which itself is one of a number of worldwide patent families applied for in recent years to cover the design, marketing and production of customized financial transaction cards.

PATENT FOR LIVE ATTENUATED INFLUENZA VACCINES

Vivaldi Biosciences Inc. (Vivaldi), a biotechnology company focused on development of vaccines for influenza has been granted patent for live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIVs) by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The patent covers live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIVs) with modifications to the viral NS1 gene, and methods for producing the vaccines in cell culture systems.

This proprietary technology is used for production of LAIVs against virtually all influenza strains, including novel (swine-origin) H1N1. Vivaldi has exclusive rights to the patented technology and has LAIV candidates in development.

Live attenuated vaccines reproduce safely in the recipient without causing disease, giving immunity and greater protection than vaccines based on inactivated virus. Vivaldi’s LAIV candidates represent the first prospectively designed live virus vaccines.

The patent is assigned to the Mount Sinai School of Medicine (MSSM) and licensed exclusively to Vivaldi. The patent is part of an IP portfolio from MSSM that includes more than 25 issued patents and numerous patent applications, to which Vivaldi has exclusive rights in the US and major international markets.

U.S. TRADE OFFICIALS TO INVESTIGATE INTO TOYOTA MOTOR CORP. ALLEGED PATENT INFRINGEMENT

U.S. trade officials will investigate whether Toyota Motor Corp. violated patents held by a Florida-based hybrid technology company Paice LLC. Paice alleges that Toyota hybrids like the third-generation Prius and the Lexus HS250h utilize its patented technology related to the propulsion of gas-electric vehicles. Paice is seeking to bar the import of the vehicles into the U.S.

Paice seeks to bar the import of the vehicles into the U.S. The U.S. International Trade Commission, which investigates claims of trade violations, has opted to launch the investigation against Toyota Motors.
If the International Trade Commission sides with Paice LLC, it could issue penalties including a possible ban the hybrids' import.

Generally after the ITC decides to begin an investigation, a judge is named within 45 days and hearings are held.