Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw

4 Areas of Intellectual Property Law4 Areas of Intellectual Property Law TrademarksTrademarks PatentsPatents CopyrightsCopyrights Trade SecretsTrade Secrets

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw TrademarksTrademarks

A distinctive mark, motto, device or A distinctive mark, motto, device or implement that a manufacturer stamps, implement that a manufacturer stamps, prints, or affixes to goods for prints, or affixes to goods for identificationidentification

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw TrademarksTrademarks Federal law = The Lanham Act 1946Federal law = The Lanham Act 1946 Register with the U.S. Patent and Register with the U.S. Patent and

Trademark Office in D.C.Trademark Office in D.C. 2 requirements2 requirements

–currently in commerce orcurrently in commerce or

–will be in 6 monthswill be in 6 months

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw TrademarksTrademarks

Registration:Registration:Confers the right to protect your markConfers the right to protect your markMust be renewed between years 5-6, Must be renewed between years 5-6,

then every 10 years afterwardthen every 10 years afterward Allows use of the symbolAllows use of the symbol

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw TrademarksTrademarks

DistinctivenessDistinctivenessCan register any distinctive markCan register any distinctive mark

• Fanciful, arbitrary, or suggestive Fanciful, arbitrary, or suggestive marks are the strongestmarks are the strongest

• Xerox, Kodak, English Leather, Xerox, Kodak, English Leather, Dairy QueenDairy Queen

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw TrademarksTrademarks

Cannot protect descriptive terms, Cannot protect descriptive terms, geographical terms, or personal names geographical terms, or personal names until they have a secondary meaninguntil they have a secondary meaning

Generic terms cannot be protectedGeneric terms cannot be protected Computer, aspirin, raisin bran, kleenex, Computer, aspirin, raisin bran, kleenex,

xeroxxerox

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw TrademarksTrademarks

Federal Trademark Dilution Act of 1995Federal Trademark Dilution Act of 1995Prohibits use of mark on noncompeting Prohibits use of mark on noncompeting

goods, regardless of the likelihood of goods, regardless of the likelihood of confusion, e.g., “The Greatest Show on confusion, e.g., “The Greatest Show on Earth”Earth”

Image/overall appearance=Trade Dress Image/overall appearance=Trade Dress Pebble Beach v. Tour 18Pebble Beach v. Tour 18

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw TrademarksTrademarks

Other protected marks:Other protected marks:Service marks, certification marks, Service marks, certification marks,

collective markscollective marks Trade NamesTrade Names

Common law protection unless they are Common law protection unless they are trademarkstrademarks

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw PatentsPatents

The exclusive right to make, use & sell The exclusive right to make, use & sell an inventionan invention

20 years for inventions20 years for inventions 14 years for designs14 years for designs Requirements for registration:Requirements for registration:

Genuine, novel, useful and not obviousGenuine, novel, useful and not obvious

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw PatentsPatents

Patent LitigationPatent LitigationFederal law = federal courtsFederal law = federal courtsExpensiveExpensiveInfringement = unauthorized use of Infringement = unauthorized use of

patented design, process, or productpatented design, process, or productLicensed usageLicensed usage

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw PatentsPatents

Patent LitigationPatent LitigationMarkman v. WestviewMarkman v. Westview

• Judge decides the scope and nature Judge decides the scope and nature of patent claimsof patent claims

• Increased use of summary judgment Increased use of summary judgment motion rather than jury trialsmotion rather than jury trials

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw Patents for SoftwarePatents for Software

Software programs are a processSoftware programs are a processDiamond v. DiehrDiamond v. DiehrMust be novel, and not obviousMust be novel, and not obvious

Process of obtaining patent may not be Process of obtaining patent may not be practical for programmerspractical for programmers

Damages include order to destroy infringing Damages include order to destroy infringing materials, attorneys’ fees materials, attorneys’ fees

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw CopyrightsCopyrights

Authors or originators of books, records, Authors or originators of books, records, films, artworks, architectural plans, films, artworks, architectural plans, menus, music videos, product packaging, menus, music videos, product packaging, and computer software own their property and computer software own their property for: for: the life of the author + 50 yearsthe life of the author + 50 years

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw CopyrightsCopyrights

Work must be original, fixed in a durable Work must be original, fixed in a durable medium and a:medium and a:

literary workliterary work musical workmusical work dramatic workdramatic work pantomimes/choreographic workpantomimes/choreographic work pictorial, graphic, /sculptural workpictorial, graphic, /sculptural work film/audiovisual workfilm/audiovisual work sound recordingsound recording

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw CopyrightsCopyrights

No copyrights for: No copyrights for: Ideas, procedures, processes, systems, Ideas, procedures, processes, systems,

methods of operation, concepts, methods of operation, concepts, principles, or discoveries.principles, or discoveries.

Widely known factsWidely known facts

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw CopyrightsCopyrights

Ripley’s Believe It or Not?Ripley’s Believe It or Not? Yellow Pages?Yellow Pages? White Pages?White Pages? Karaoke?Karaoke?

ABKCO Music, Inc. v. Stellar Records, ABKCO Music, Inc. v. Stellar Records, Inc.Inc.

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw Copyright InfringementCopyright Infringement

Copying the form or expressionCopying the form or expressionEven if not exactly the sameEven if not exactly the sameEven if just a partial copyEven if just a partial copy

• Exception: Fair Use DoctrineException: Fair Use Doctrine Damages are actual/statutory or criminal Damages are actual/statutory or criminal

for willful violationsfor willful violations

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw Copyright InfringementCopyright Infringement

Liability?Liability?Professor’s use in teachingProfessor’s use in teachingReporter’s use in newsReporter’s use in newsCritic’s use in commentingCritic’s use in commenting

Is there any effect on the market for the original Is there any effect on the market for the original work? work?

Princeton University Press v. MDSPrinceton University Press v. MDS

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw CopyrightsCopyrights

Software can be protected as a literary Software can be protected as a literary workworkBinary codeBinary code““Look and feel”Look and feel”

NETA – no pirating/joy riding under NETA – no pirating/joy riding under penalty of $250,000 &/or 5 yearspenalty of $250,000 &/or 5 years

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw Trade SecretsTrade Secrets

Customer lists, price lists, plans, Customer lists, price lists, plans, strategies, R&D, production techniquesstrategies, R&D, production techniques

Ideas and Expression protectedIdeas and Expression protected State common lawsState common laws Nondisclosure agreementsNondisclosure agreements Economic Espionage Act –federal crimeEconomic Espionage Act –federal crime

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw CyberlawCyberlaw

Domain names - street address or Domain names - street address or trademark?trademark?

.com .org .edu .gov.com .org .edu .govName of the firmName of the firmNational Science Foundation – National Science Foundation –

Network Solutions, Inc.Network Solutions, Inc.

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw CyberlawCyberlaw

Domain NamesDomain NamesNo infringing affidavitNo infringing affidavitRegular usage requirementRegular usage requirement

Trademark law isn’t readily transferableTrademark law isn’t readily transferableInfringement possibilitiesInfringement possibilitiesDilution problemsDilution problems

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw CyberlawCyberlaw

CybersquattingCybersquattingPanavision International v. ToeppenPanavision International v. ToeppenCommercial vs. noncommercial use of Commercial vs. noncommercial use of

your trademarkyour trademark

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw Cyberlaw – PatentsCyberlaw – Patents

Data-compression software, encryption Data-compression software, encryption programs, etc.programs, etc.

International intellectual property International intellectual property licenses licenses

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw Cyberlaw – CopyrightsCyberlaw – Copyrights

When is a copy made?When is a copy made?During viewing?During viewing?During download onto disk?During download onto disk?Email as attachment?Email as attachment?Public display/performance?Public display/performance?

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw Cyberlaw – CopyrightsCyberlaw – Copyrights

AOL – is it a self-service copier or can it AOL – is it a self-service copier or can it be held liable for providing the means to be held liable for providing the means to copy a work?copy a work?Does the service provider benefit from Does the service provider benefit from

the copyright infringement?the copyright infringement?Knew or should have known @ it?Knew or should have known @ it?

Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw International Protection for Intellectual PropertyInternational Protection for Intellectual Property

Berne Convention 1886 protects authors in Berne Convention 1886 protects authors in countries that have signedcountries that have signed

TRIPS 1994TRIPS 1994GATT/WTO signorsGATT/WTO signorsSignor countries have IP protection lawsSignor countries have IP protection lawsNon-discrimination agreementNon-discrimination agreement