Alt Legal IP News – Issue #149
Bri Van Til | July 30, 2019
Famous Names
– A new Apple patent filing shows a mixed reality headset that tracks your whole face. Also in Apple news, Apple plans to buy Intel’s wireless chip unit for $1 billion.
– The US District Court in Connecticut recently found Best-Lock Construction Toys to be in violation of several of Lego’s copyrights.
– This article looks into the long history of IP controversy surrounding The Lion King.
You’re Trying to Trademark What?
– Rapper Megan Thee Stallion recently filed an application to trademark “Hot Girl Summer,”p perhaps in response to the phrase’s recent use in several advertisements.
– Kanye West recently filed an application to trademark “Sunday Service” as a clothing line.
– The Liverpool Football Club’s recent attempt to trademark “Liverpool” has many of the city’s residents (and others) upset.
Penalties for Infringement
– The US Senate Judiciary Committee recently proposed the CASE Act, which would create a “small claims” process to manage copyright offenses.
– In an effort to curb counterfeiting, officials in Oman recently warned that violations can lead to prison sentences of up to three years.
– A Florida businessman is being sued for millions of dollars by Penn State for his state trademark registrations of Penn State Nittany Brewing, Penn State Nittany Beer, and Penn State Nittany Lion Cigars.
– Where is the line between being a fan and violating someone else’s protected intellectual property? How are fanboys and fangirls to know?
– The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case about whether trademark infringers should forfeit their profits.
Odds and Ends
– New US legislation seeks to increase diversity among patent filers.
– In an effort to protect photographers’ rights, Chinese photography associations are offering two million yen to compensate photographers for photos used in textbooks.
– This 12-year-old boy recently filed four patent applications for systems designed to reduce vehicle accidents and theft.
– In case you missed the USPTO’s webinar on the Post Registration Proof of Use Audit Program, here is our overview.