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Mar 06

Did you know?

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Not only is California an ideal place for filmmakers due to the temperate weather conditions and beautiful scenery, in the early 20th century it also provided a safe haven from patent owners like Thomas Edison. In 1908, Edison helped form the Motion Picture Patents Company (MPPC) which held 16 major film patents. Representing a virtual monopoly on the movie industry, these patents covered nearly everything including projectors, cameras, and film stock. Further, the MPPC vigorously protected its patents by suing any pirates who screened or produced films without its permission and without paying for a license to use the patented…
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Mar 06

Just Sue It: Nike Faces Copyright Infringement Lawsuit

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In 2015, photographer Jacobus Rentmeester sued Nike, Inc. alleging copyright infringement for the company’s use of its iconic “Jumpman” logo. Last week, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the District Court’s dismissal of the action. The photograph of Michael Jordan was first captured by Rentmeester in 1984 and appeared in Life Magazine as part of a photo essay. Inspired by ballet’s grant jete pose, Jordan’s unusual stance is similar to a dancer’s leap with legs extended, one foot forward and the other back. The photographer entered into a limited license agreement with Nike whereby Nike was provided with color…
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Feb 28

Oscar Nominee Sued For Copyright Infringement

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Less than one week before the Academy Awards, Guillermo del Toro, Fox Searchlight and others associated with the nominated film “The Shape of Water” are being sued for copyright infringement. Specifically, the children of late Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paul Zindel claim the film is “indisputably derived” from the 1969 play “Let Me Hear You Whisper.” The play’s main narrative focuses on a lonely cleaning woman who bonds with then attempts to rescue a dolphin from a research facility where she works. Identically, an inter-species romantic relationship develops between the main character of “The Shape of Water,” Elisa, and “The Asset”…
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Feb 21

Taylor Swift Shakes Off Copyright Infringement Suit

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A California District Court judge granted a motion by Taylor Swift to dismiss the action against her for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, suggesting the singer may be able to shake off this lawsuit. Songwriters Sean Hall and Nathan Butler brought this copyright infringement suit against Swift alleging she stole the lyrics to their 2000 song “Playas Gon’ Play” and included them in her 2014 hit song “Shake It Off.” The songwriting duo, who have collaborated with the likes of Justin Bieber and Pink, do not allege any musical elements, such as rhythm or…
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Feb 14

All You Need Is Love…And IP

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Roses are Valentine’s Day’s signature flower. Indeed, these are the most often sent flower on the holiday and the subject of the first plant patent issued by the USPTO. This “Climbing Rose,” invented by Henry F. Bosenberg of New Jersey, is characterized by its champagne-colored roses and everblooming quality. Interestingly, Mr. Bosenberg was not even a plant breeder but rather, a landscape gardener. Under patent law, the inventor of a plant is the person who first appreciates its distinctive qualities and asexually reproduces it. Since this first plant patent in 1931, the USPTO has granted nearly 6,000 plant patents overall.…
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Feb 07

Omid Khalifeh Selected As a Top 3 Patent Attorney in Los Angeles by ThreeBestRated

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Omid Khalifeh, Omni Legal Group’s Principal Patent Attorney, was recently selected as a Top 3 Patent Attorney in Los Angeles by ThreeBestRated®. Three Best Rated is an independent, third party business review site that utilizes a 50-point inspection system to identify top businesses in a city. This system compiles its ratings based on reputation, history, complaints, ratings, satisfaction, nearness, trust, cost, and general excellence. Three Best Rated focuses on purely local businesses rather than large corporations with local offices. Moreover, the service is free and companies do not pay to be listed. As a result of being awarded this top…
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Feb 07

Did you know?

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Amazon was recently awarded two patents for a wristband capable of pinpointing the location of warehouse workers and their hand movements in real time. Originally filed back in 2016, the invention proposes to utilize ultrasonic technology placed around a building, such as a warehouse, and on the wristband itself allowing a management module to provide haptic feedback in order to steer the employee toward the proper area. While commentators are concerned that Amazon is merely trying to track employees’ toilet breaks, the tech giant claims the invention is designed solely to facilitate the process of checking inventory and fulfilling orders…
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Feb 07

AI and IP

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Artificial intelligence is quickly propagating across all industries. With these technological advances comes the requirement that businesses refocus their intellectual property strategies to accommodate these changes. While the situation is not quite as dire as that depicted in Blade Runner’s dystopian future where bioengineered humans are running about, the futuristic world of AI is here. Indeed, Aiva is an artificially intelligent music generator capable of composing emotional soundtracks for films, video games, commercials, and the like who learned the art of music composition by reading through works created by Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, and other great composers. Aiva, in addition to…
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Jan 31

NFL Tackles Professional Counterfeiters

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In time for Sunday’s “Big Game,” NFL Properties LLC, New England Patriots LLC, and Philadelphia Eagles LLC have filed suit in federal court in Minneapolis seeking to obtain a restraining order forbidding professional counterfeiters from selling merchandise bearing protected trademarks. Such an order would permit law enforcement to seize any and all counterfeit goods. A trademark is any word, name, symbol, device, or any combination thereof, used or intended to be used to identify or distinguish the goods or services of the owner from those of others. The NFL not only owns the rights to the term “Super Bowl” but…
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Jan 24

My Patent Is Your Patent: Google’s Cross-Licensing Agreement With Tencent

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Google and China's biggest tech firm, Tencent, recently entered into a long-term patent cross-licensing agreement covering "a broad range of products and technologies." Tencent is valued at over $500 billion and oversees WeChat as well as China's largest gaming and livestream platforms. The tech giant also has investments in Snapchat, Tesla, and Spotify. While the two companies have not broadly publicized what particular patents or technologies are covered by this agreement, these contracts typically allow the parties to freely exploit the subject matter claimed in the named patents. This further allows these companies to avoid litigation over patent infringement.  Although Google has entered…
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