Supreme Court Declined to Hear Case on Google’s Trademark as Generic
On Monday, October 16th, the Supreme Court of the United States denied certiorari of a petition that stated Google has become a generic verb which would make it ineligible for trademark protection.…
Spotify Sued for $1.6 billion over Copyright Infringement
California-based Wixen Music Publishing has sued the streaming music provider, Spotify for $1.6 billion. The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California, Western…
Apple Applies for Patent on Self-Driving Car
While Uber and Waymo have been in the news for their self-driving cars and the patented technology behind them, Apple has been secretly working on their “Autonomous Navigation System.” Apple CEO Tim…
Recent Developments Regarding the Use of Inter Partes Review Proceedings to Challenge Patents
I. Introduction Inter partes review (IPR) is a trial proceeding conducted before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). An alternative to…
How to Select Your Business Name and Trademark
A few months ago, I served as a mentor for Breakthrough Weekend in which groups of students at the University of Nebraska at Omaha competed against each other based upon their presentation of their…
Amazon Patents Self-Destructing Drone
Amazon was recently in the news for one of their patent applications dealing with advances in drone technology. Amazon was granted a patent for its invention on “Directed Fragmentation for Unmanned…
“O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree” a Look at Your Intellectual Property
Christmas trees are an essential element of Christmas and the holiday season. According to the American Christmas Tree Association’s (ACTA) seventh annual Christmas tree survey, nearly 95 million…
May the 4th be with Star Wars Intellectual Property
Since the first film of the Star Wars saga, released in 1977, George Lucas and Lucasfilm have become profoundly adept at dealing with legal matters concerning intellectual property. With 205…
Bud Light Sends Town Crier to Deliver Cease-and-Desist Notice
Bud Light certainly has a sense of humor when it comes to cease-and-desist notices. Modist Brewing, a craft brewing company located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, recently launched a new Mosaic Double…
Oral Arguments Heard by Supreme Court in Oil States Energy v. Greene's Energy
Monday November 27, 2017, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in Oil States Energy Services LLC v. Greene’s Energy Group, LLC. The question before the Court was “whether…
STRONGER Patent Act 2017
In July, the Suiter Swantz staff reported on the introduction of Senate Bill 1390, also known as the STRONGER Patent Act, by Senator Chris Coons of Delaware. The bill is in the first stage of the…
A Thanksgiving Serving of Intellectual Property
Thanksgiving is here once again, a time when family and friends come together and celebrate. Here are a few interesting patents, patent applications, and trademarks to keep in mind before you savor…