IP Think Tank Global Week in Review – 9 May 2008

Here is IP Think Tank’s weekly selection of top intellectual property news breaking in the blogosphere and internet.

Please join the discussion by adding your comments on any of these stories, and please do let me know if you think we’ve missed something important, or if there is a source you think should be monitored.

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Highlights this week included:

Global

Global – General

Global – Patents

  • Rise of machine translation services: (IPKat),
  • USPTO / EPO / JPO progress on ‘common application format’ for expedited examination: (Peter Zura’s 271 Patent Blog),
  • Proponents: ‘Time is now’ for TRIPs biodiversity amendment in Doha round: (Intellectual Property Watch),
  • TRIPs amendment in favour of disclosures for genetic resources/traditional knowledge patents gathers support: (Afro-IP),
  • WIPO Arbitration Panel rules Boston Scientific’s coronary stents do not infringe Medinol’s patents: (IP Law360), (Therapeutics Daily),
  • Claim chart – useful patent tool: (Ezine @articles),
  • Gratis greentech and technical disclosures: (Securing Innovation),
  • New blog – Green Patent Blog: (Patent Baristas),
  • BP/G radio talk on software patents in US and EU: (IPKat),
  • Thomson Reuters publishes new study on patents and innovation: (Peter Zura’s 271 Patent Blog),
  • Book review of Bessen & Meuer’s ‘Patent failure: How judges, bureaucrats, and lawyers put innovators at risk’ – Understanding both sides to the EE/IT v Bio/Pharma debate: (Hal Wegner),
  • Towards a global valuations standard: (Managing Intellectual Property)

Global – Copyright

  • Thomson Reuters to offer plagiarism detection service via Manuscript Central in conjunction with Crosscheck: (Thomson Reuters)

Events

  • India: CII: 2nd symposium of University-Industry Council – 9-10 May, Bombay: (Spicy IP),
  • US: Webinar on current developments in patents featuring US Patent Commissioner – 13 May: (Philip Brooks),
  • EU: EC conference on counterfeiting and piracy – 13 May, Brussels: (Class 46),
  • US: IP Prospector/Beard Group hosting audio briefing for identifying and evaluating patent investments – 15 May: (Philip Brooks),
  • US CAFC: ‘The Federal Circuit: a National Court of Appeals: addressing new challenges’ – 15 May, Washington: (Patent Docs),
  • 4th annual ‘meet the bloggers’ session – 19 May, Berlin: (IPKat), (Catch Us If You Can!!!),
  • US: ACI ‘In-house counsel forum on pharmaceutical antitrust’ – 20-21 May, Maryland: (Orange Book Blog),
  • EU: Workshop for mediators in IP disputes – 26-27 May, Geneva: (IPR-Helpdesk),
  • US: PLI: ‘Advanced patent licensing 2008: What you need to know before licensing your patent’ – 28 May, New York / 11 June, San Francisco: (Patent Docs),
  • US: Worldwide Business Research: PharmaBiotech IP summit – 28-30 May, Philadelphia: (Patent Docs),
  • EU: Advanced workshop for mediators in IP disputes – 29-30 May, Geneva: (IPR-Helpdesk),
  • US: ACI ‘FDA boot camp’ conference – 29-30 May, San Francisco: (Orange Book Blog),
  • Australia: IPRIA/AIPPI Australia free public seminar on the future of the international IP system – 3 June, Melbourne: (IPRIA)
  • US: PLI: ‘Prior art & obviousness 2008: The PTO and CAFC perspective on patent law sections 102 & 103’ – 16 June, San Francisco / 1 July, New York: (Patent Docs),
  • US: BIO international convention – 17-20 June, San Diego: (Patent Docs),
  • US: PLI: ‘Fundamentals of patent prosecution 2008: A boot camp for claim drafting & amendment writing’ – 18-20 June, New York / 9-11 July, San Francisco: (Patent Docs),
  • US: LSI: ‘Multilateral patents’ – 23 June, San Francisco: (Patent Docs),
  • IP Business Congress – 25-26 June, Amsterdam: (IP Business Congress 2008),
  • US: LSI: Patent claim construction workshop – 16 July, Seattle: (Patent Docs),
  • EU: ATRIP meeting on future of European patent system – 21-23 July, Munich: (IPR-Helpdesk),
  • US: PLI: ‘Advanced patent prosecution workshop 2008: Claim drafting & amendment writing’: 24-25 July, New York / 11-12 August, San Francisco: (Patent Docs),
  • US: ACI 10th advanced forum on biotech patents – 15-16 September, Boston: (Generic Pharmaceuticals & IP)
  • Switzerland: Discussion of Swiss Federal Ethics Committee on Non-Human Biotechnology report ‘The dignity of living beings with regard to plants’ and possible impact on patentability exceptions: (IPKat),

Pharma & Biotech

Pharma & Biotech – General

  • WHO IGWG negotiating on IP and public health: (Spicy IP), (Intellectual Property Watch), (Intellectual Property Watch),
  • Jon Santamauro, former US trade official now on BIO IGWG delegation: (KEI),
  • The best and worst patents for generics to fight: (IP Law360),
  • Big pharmaceutical companies continue to woo biotech: (Pharmacapsules@Gowlings),
  • Africa: Failing infrastructure renders compulsory licensing pointless: (Afro-IP),
  • Canada: Ontario takes lead in global genetic war with cancer: (Pharmacapsules@Gowlings),
  • Canada: Update on Patented Medicine Prices Review Board review of ‘Excessive price guidelines’: (Pharmacapsules@Gowlings),
  • Canada: Proposed amendments to the Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations: (Pharmacapsules@Gowlings),
  • EU: Limitations on the scope of DNA patent claims in Europe: Monsanto struggles in its attempt to block importation of soy meal: (Holman’s Biotech IP Blog),
  • India: SCC journal article ‘Intellectual property rights and the challenges faced by the pharmaceutical industry’: (Spicy IP),
  • India: Jyothi Datta on the Bayh Dole Bill and CII event: (Spicy IP),
  • India: Compulsory for India?: (Spicy IP),
  • India: Merck vs Roche: towards differential pricing: (Spicy IP),
  • India/Philippines: Access to drugs: The India/Philippines solution?: (Afro-IP), (Managing Intellectual Property),
  • Rwanda: Four years after AIDS drugs bill passed, first low cost meds may head to Rwanda: (GenericsWeb),
  • US: Abbott’s first quarter lobbying tab hits $880,000: (Patent Docs),
  • US: House Bill would expand federal drug pedigree requirements and preempt state requirements: (FDA Law Blog),
  • US: Purchasing Canadian drugs and patent infringement: Litecubes decision: (Patently-O),
  • US: Neuralstem seeks to reopen stayed patent case against StemCells now that re-exam in almost complete: (IP Law360),
  • US: FTC wants to end deals delaying generics: (Philip Brooks), (IP Law360)

Pharma & Biotech – Products

  • Aricept (Donepezil): Court of Appeal orders NICE to grant Esai and Pfizer access to information on how it reached its decision on whether to recommend prescription of Aricept; NICE had claimed duty of confidence prevented disclosure: (IPKat),
  • Celebrex (Celecoxib) – US CAFC won’t rehear Celebrex patent dispute between Pfizer and Teva: (IP Law360),
  • Coversyl (Perindopril) – Canada: Judicial review of Minister’s decision regarding bioavailability comparison: Apotex v Canada (Minister of Health) & Servier: (Pharmacapsules@Gowlings),
  • Eloxatin (Oxaliplaten) – Sanofi-Aventis claims German precious metals company is aiding Eloxatin patent infringement by providing active ingredient to generics makers: (IP Law360),
  • Erbitux (Cetuximab) – US: ImClone cries fraud over Erbitux patent deal: (IP Law360),
  • Evista (Raloxifene) – Canadian Federal Court refuses Novopharm’s motion to dismiss patent infringement proceeding for abuse of process: Eli Lilly v Novopharm: (Pharmacapsules@Gowlings),
  • Fentora (Fentanyl buccal) – US: Watson challenges Cephalon’s Fentora patent: (TherapeuticsDaily),
  • Lipitor (Atorvastatin) – Pfizer’s Lipitor US ‘893 patent survives reexamination: (Patent Docs),
  • Nexium (Esomeprazole) – Teva sues to invalidate AstraZeneca’s Nexium patents: (IP Law360),
  • Provigil (Modafinil) – Canadian Federal Court finds Cephalon’s Provigil patent invalid in its dispute with Aoptex: (Pharmacapsules@Gowlings),
  • Sublimaze (Fentanyl) – UK: Patents Court grants Alza’s request to join two proceedings concerning alleged infringement of its European patent relating to transdermal patches for Fentanyl: Ratiopharm (UK) Ltd v Alza Corp; Alza Corp v Sandoz Ltd: (IPKat),
  • Symbicort (Formoterol/Budesonide) – EPO revokes one of AstraZeneca’s Symbicort patents following challenge from Norton Healthcare and Generics UK: (Managing Intellectual Property), (IP Law360),
  • Tarceva (Erlotinib) – Roche v CIPLA: Drug Controller General of India rules out low-cost version of patented drugs: (Philip Brooks),
  • Tarceva (Erlocip) – CIPLA denies Roche’s allegations of wrongful promotion of Erlocip for unapproved uses: (Spicy IP)

Africa

  • Ethiopia: New branding scheme for Ethiopian coffees: (Afro-IP), (IP finance), (IPKat),
  • Ghana: WIPO, Ghana sign IP development plan: (Afro-IP), (WIPO),
  • Kenya: Kopiken puts photocopying bureaus on notice: (Afro-IP),
  • Zimbabwe: Taking stock of piracy: Zimbabwe reflects: (Afro-IP)

Asia

  • Cost, convenience drive rise in Asia arbitrations: (IP Law360)

Australia

  • Full Federal Court judgment of no copyright infringement in case over electronic program guide: Nine Network v IceTV: (LawFont.com), (LawFont.com),
  • New IP resource – PubPat for searching for Australian patents: (IP Menu News),
  • Goods or shape of goods as trade mark: Global Brand Marketing Inc v YD Pty Ltd: (IPRoo)

Benelux

  • District Court in The Hague: Microsoft wins dispute over msnlock domain names and figurative trade mark registered by Unicaresoft: (Ars Technica), (Class 46)

Canada

China

Denmark

  • Update on Louis Vuitton’s trade mark and copyright infringement complaints over Vuitton-style handbag depicted in artwork for Darfur fundraiser: (Innovationpartners)

Europe

  • OHIM: Service charter for 2008 and ‘delays in public inspection requests’: (Class 46),
  • Standard setting – Will US CAFC decision in Rambus v FTC impact Europe?: (IPEG),
  • EPO oppositions and appeals: (Patent Prospector),
  • Commission will fund translation technology development for Community patent: (IAM),
  • Gorgonzola applies to modify PDO spec: (Class 46),
  • CFI: REVERIE and REVERT ‘similar’: Redcats SA v OHIM, Manual Revert & Cia, SA: (Class 46),
  • EC Vice President adds to Community patent momentum: (Managing Intellectual Property), (IAM),
  • OHIM: Overview of Boards of Appeal decisions of 2007: (Class 46),
  • European Inventor of the Year awards for 2008 presented: (Managing Intellectual Property),
  • Free MIMOSA expert search in ESPACE EP database: (EPO),
  • EPO President on patenting of ‘green’ technology in the future: (IPKat),
  • European Patent Forum presentations available – Day 1: Technologies to save the planet: (EPO)
  • EPO admits backlogs cannot be mastered: (IAM), (BLOG@IP::JUR)

Germany

  • Bundesgerichtshof decides it is possible to apply for an injunction directly against internet auction house, where vendors are offering counterfeit goods: (Class 46);
  • Skype discontinues appeal against court ruling of open source general public licence violation: (Ars Technica), (Techdirt)

India

  • Indian patent law, s 107A(b) – parallel import debate: (Spicy IP), (Patent Circle),
  • Kerala leftists for copyleft!: (Spicy IP),
  • Story of bribe-taker in Trade Mark Office: (Spicy IP),
  • Irresponsible reporting by Mint on s 107A(b) Patents Act 1970: (Patent Circle),
  • The song and dance continues – More on Bollywood and piracy: (Spicy IP),
  • Trade mark tussle erupts between vodka barons Bacardi and Radico Khaitan: (Spicy IP),
  • Validity of trade mark registration decision adjourns infringement proceedings: BDA Private Ltd v Paul P John: (International Law Office),
  • Commerce Minister to make IP part of free trade agreement with Europe Free Trade Association: (Spicy IP),
  • Legal and policy framework for equitable access to documentary heritage: (Spicy IP)

Israel

  • Israel remains on US priority watch list: (The IP Factor),
  • Israel Patent Office issues guidance on 3D trade marks: (The IP Factor),
  • New Israel copyright law to come into effect: (The IP Factor)

Italy

  • Court of Turin confirms seizure order against Chinese manufacturer of cars imitating Daimler Chrysler’s SMART car: (Catch Us If You Can!!!)

Japan

  • Japan stops production of commemorative coins due to copyright infringement claim: (Daily Dose of IP)

Montenegro

Poland

  • Still problems with OSCYPEK PDO (a smoked cheese made from salted sheep’s milk): (Class 46)

Spain

  • Aceite de La Alcarria to be PDO for olive oil: (Class 46),
  • Cybersquatting, freedom of expression and drought – individual registers .es domains coinciding with acronyms for new Ministries to post political criticism: (Class 46)

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

  • Token use may not be evidence of genuine use, rules CFI: Sonia Rykiel Création et Diffusion de Modeles v OHIM, Cuadrado SA: (Class 46),
  • Judicial review of BSI’s vote on OOXML: (BriefBlog),
  • Reports of possible challenge to Google’s revised AdWords rules in UK and Ireland: (IAM),
  • Order to transfer myspace.co.uk to MySpace overturned: (Out-Law), (IMPACT),
  • Lucas film empire strikes back in Star Wars case over IP rights in costumes: (International Law Office),
  • UK minister backs Community patent: (Managing Intellectual Property),
  • Rundown on lecture: ‘The role of economic analysis in IP law: implications for competition’ (1st in UCL/Howrey competition and IP lecture series): (IPKat)

United States

US General

US Patent Reform

US Patents

US Copyright

US Trademarks

  • Ambush marketing: new laws for sports events?: (IP Law360),
  • Concise guide to likelihood of confusion – Larkin’s article ‘Section 2(d) and (e)(1) refusals and substantive issues in ex parte appeals: the applicant’s perspective’: (IP Updates)

US – Companies / Entities

  • Adidas – Adidas awarded $305 million against Payless for infringement of three stripe design: (The Trademark Blog), (IP Law360), (The Trademark Blog), (The Trademark Blog), (The Trademark Blog), (Out-Law),
  • Agam – Artist, Yaacov Agam, claims restoration of his work of art breaches copyright: (Chicago IP Litigation Blog),
  • Alcatel-Lucent – Alcatel-Lucent wins partial appeal against Microsoft, Dell in patent dispute: (IP Law360), (ISinIP),
  • Alphatec – Alphatec to pay $11 million in settlement deal to resolve patent suit brought by DePuy Spine over pedicle screw technology: (IP Law360),
  • AuthenTec – AuthenTec wins judgment in fingerprint patent case brought against it by Atmel: (IP Law360),
  • Bilski – CAFC hears oral arguments in In Re Bilski concerning patentability of business methods: (PLI), (Anticipate This!), (Hal Wegner), (Patently-O), (IP Law360),
  • Blizzard – Blizzard attempt to kill World of Warcraft bot bad news for copyright law, first sale doctrine: MDY v Blizzard: (Public Knowledge), (Public Knowledge), (Electronic Frontier Foundation), (Techdirt), (Ars Technica),
  • Canon – Light Valve Solutions files suit against 3M, Canon and several others claiming their LCD projection products infringe two light valve patents: (IP Law360),
  • Decisioning.com – CAFC upholds judgment in favour of Macy’s (formerly Federated Department Stores) in patent suit brought by Decisioning.com over technology for establishing credit accounts: (IP Law360), (Patent Prospector), (Hal Wegner),
  • Don Best Sports – Summary judgment granted in part in patent case re: Situs of infringement: Renhcol Inc v Don Best Sports: (EDTexweblog.com),
  • Draka Comteq – Farukawa, Draka settle two patent infringement battles: (IP Law360),
  • ESPN – ESPN files trade mark suit against Quiksilver, alleging its use of an ‘X’ in surfing and snowboarding gear infringes the symbol for X Games: (IP Law360),
  • Fisher-Price – Fisher-Price awarded $5.7M in patent dispute with Safety 1st over infant carrier patents: (IP Law360),
  • Ford – Ford asks ITC to bar Mustang knockoff parts being imported from Taiwan: (IP Law360),
  • Fu – Ex parte Fu: New precedential KSR decision from BPAI; Species not per se patentable over prior art genus: (Hal Wegner), (Patent Prospector); (Peter Zura’s 271 Patent Blog), (Post-Grant),
  • Google – CoreCodec sends takedown notice to Google over hosting/linking to material that allegedly infringes CoreCodec’s copyright in software: (Chilling Effects),
  • Google – IP & RICO claims collide in domain name registration suit: Vulcan Golf, LLC v Google Inc: (Chicago IP Litigation Blog),
  • Google – No settlement in sight for Viacom’s lawsuit against Google for alleged copyright infringement on YouTube: (Ars Technica), (IP Law360),
  • isoHunt – BitTorrent tracker site, isoHunt, tries ‘just a search engine’ defense in copyright infringement case brought against it by MPAA: (Techdirt), (Ars Technica),
  • Juxtacomm – Defendant’s motion for partial judgment on pleadings in patent case denied; separate contentions not required for second accused product where claims identical: Juxtacomm Tech, Inc v Ascential Software Corp: (EDTexweblog.com),
  • LG – LG, L-1 Identity Solution reach deal in iris-recognition technology suit: (IP Law360),
  • Light Cubes – Patent and copyright infringement by sale of offending products into the US: Light Cubes LLC v Northern Light Products: (Ladas & Parry),
  • Mass Engineered – Mass Engineered adds defendants, Bretford and CSAV, in patent infringement suit: Mass Engineered Design, Inc v Ergotron, Inc: (EDTexweblog.com),
  • Merrill Lynch & Co – Ex-Merrill adviser enjoined in trade secrets suit: (IP Law360),
  • Microsoft – IP takes centre stage in failed Microsoft bid for Yahoo!: (Managing Intellectual Property),
  • Monsanto – Supreme Court petition for certiorari; ‘whether… process patent cannot be infringed under either 35 U.S.C. § 271(a) or 35 U.S.C. § 271(g) unless every step of the patented process is performed during the term of the patent’: Monsanto v Syngenta: (Hal Wegner),
  • MPAA – TorrentSpy ordered to pay $110 million in damages to MPAA after being found liable for copyright infringement; intends to appeal: (Ars Technica), (Techdirt), (Daily Dose of IP), (Techdirt),
  • National Oilwell – Jury decides A&B Valve and Piping employees did not misappropriate National Oilwell’s trade secrets: (IP Law360),
  • Netgear – Ruckus Wireless files patent suit against Netgear over wireless routers: (IP Law360),
  • Nikon – Papst sues Nikon claiming infringement of two patents relating to digital cameras: (IP Law360),
  • Orion Bancorp of Florida – Orion Bancorp wins court order that Orion Residential must use ‘negative keywords’ to avoid being associated with ‘orion’ marks: (Out-Law), (IPKat),
  • Pabst – DC District Court unleashes on patent holding company: In Re Pabst Licensing GMBH & Co KG Litigation: (Peter Zura’s 271 Patent Blog),
  • Proctor & Gamble – Proctor & Gamble files patent infringement suit against Johnson & Johnson over Listerine strips: (IPBiz), (Patent Prospector), (IP Law360),
  • Prostar – Supreme Court petition for certiorari; ‘[w]hether the ownership of a patent is determined by state law… or instead is governed by federal common law whenever the effectiveness of an assignment is at issue’: Prostar v IpVenture: (Hal Wegner),
  • PSN Illinois – CAFC upholds noninfringement ruling; cancelled claims narrows construction for asserted claims: PSN Illinois, LLC v Ivoclar Vivadent, Inc: (IP Law360), (Patently-O), (Hal Wegner), (Patent Prospector), (Peter Zura’s 271 Patent Blog),
  • Rambus – Samsung dealt another setback in Rambus patent disputes: (IP Law360),
  • RIAA – Exonerated RIAA defendant, Andersen, files fourth amended complaint in her malicious prosecution lawsuit against record labels and RIAA: (Ars Technica),
  • RIAA – Federal judge in Florida speedily denies RIAA’s motion to dismiss P2P defendant’s counterclaims: Atlantic v Boyer: (Ars Technica),
  • RIAA – RIAA massively ramps up warning notices to college student over file sharing: (Techdirt),
  • Rothschild – Prof G N Rothschild settles LED patent infringement claims against Epistar Corp: (Philip Brooks), (IP Law360),
  • Rowling – Discussion of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter lexicon lawsuit: (Techdirt), (43(B)log), (IP ADR Blog),
  • Seiko Epson – ITC to investigate whether Asian importers and related US companies violated exclusion order barring them from importing goods found to infringe on Seiko’s ink cartridge patents: (IP Law360),
  • Sony – International Control Systems files patent suit against Sony Electronics, Panasonic, Philips and several other major television manufacturers over technology that maintains equal volume levels for different television channels: (IP Law360),
  • Syncsort – Judge OKs Syncsort’s trade secret claim in UNIX software suit against Innovative Routines International: (IP Law360),
  • Takata – TRW Automotive claims Takata infringed safety device patents: (IP Law360),
  • Toyota – CAFC affirms ITC’s finding of no infringement in case concerning transaxles in Toyota hybrid models: Solomon Technologies v ITC: (Patent Prospector), (IP Law360),
  • Unigen – Unigen agrees to consolidate three pending patent infringement cases against Walgreens, Target, and Perrigo Company of South Carolina: (Washington State Patent Law Blog),
  • Universal Recovery Systems – Universal retaliates against SoundBite Communications claiming patent infringement and fraud: (IP Law360),
  • Valence Media – Internet search engine operator, Valence Media, ordered to pay six major movie studios $111M following finding of willful inducement of copyright infringement: (IP Law360),
  • VeriSign – VeriSign obtains patent for domain name system redirection process that it has previously agreed not to use: (Ars Technica), (Techdirt),
  • Wal-Mart- Ex-Ramones’ drummer’s copyright infringement case against Wal-Mart, Apple and others fails: (Patry Copyright Blog)
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