IP Blog

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The Internet has effectively become an integral part of everyday life. In turn, as the Internet has evolved a variety of new legal issues have arisen, many of which involve intellectual property (“IP”) rights. For example, disputes often arise over who has the right to own a domain name which in many cases involve trademark considerations. Other common types of Internet-related IP issues involve advertising and other content found on corporate websites, personal websites, social media sites, and on “Apps” for mobile devices.

Domain Name Disputes

There are various rules governing the use and registration of domain names, with the primary authority being the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). One of the most common areas of conflict involving domain names is the practice of cybersquatting, or “bad faith” purchasing of a domain name with the same name as that of a company’s trademark — in order to make money by selling the domain name back to the rightful company. Each case is unique, and not all cases that would initially appear wrongful will ultimately qualify as cybersquatting.

There are two main procedures for addressing unauthorized, bad faith registration of a domain name. The first is a cybersquatting lawsuit under the Anti-cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA), which is somewhat complex but can provide substantial remedies including damages and attorney fees. The second is a Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP), which is an arbitration before the Internet governing bodies that focuses on registration and ownership rights. Our firm’s attorneys have experience representing both petitioners and defendants in domain name disputes. Example case handled by our firm: Floridagators.com

Brand Protection Against Trademark Infringement and Counterfeits

Just as the Internet has provided a new means of presenting one’s brand to large numbers of consumers, it has also made trademark infringement, counterfeit sales, and false advertising easier to accomplish on a wider scale than ever. Accordingly, brand enforcement against unauthorized online activity includes a variety of special considerations, and it can involve special procedures such as utilizing certain channels directly offered by service providers, as a first option, rather than the courts.

Unauthorized Use of Content

Given the multitude of creative works available online, including photos, graphics, writings, sound recording, databases, etc., which are especially prevalent with interactive web sites hosted by “service providers,” legal issues can sometimes arise over the rights to such content, such as permissions to access, permissions to display, ownership rights, etc. In this context, intellectual property implications can include, among other topics:

• Copyright Infringement
• Copyright Counterfeits
• Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”)
• Terms of Service / Software Licenses
• Data Security and Privacy Compliance

Our attorneys have extensive experience in advising clients on the intellectual property law aspects of these kinds of issues.

Copyrights protect works of authorship, such as books, paintings, musical compositions, architectural drawings, and computer programs. The owner of a copyright has the right to control the reproduction and publication of the work, among other things.

Under the current law in the United States and most other countries, copyright protection arises upon completion of a work of authorship. However, these rights are limited, and it is advisable to take additional steps to enhance the copyright protection. There are essentially two steps that should be taken: 1) place the correct copyright notice on the work itself; and 2) register the copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office.

The copyright notice should be included on all copies of a work which leave the author’s possession. A proper notice should include the word “Copyright” (or its abbreviation: a “C” in a circle), followed by the year of publication, and then the name of the owner of the copyright. Thereafter, immediately registering the copyright has several distinct benefits. It is important to prepare the application with the assistance of a law firm experienced in copyright matters, particularly where the applicant is not the exclusive author of the work.  Most importantly, a timely registration constitutes prima facie evidence of the validity of the copyright and the facts stated in the registration certificate. Failure to quickly file a copyright application may result in a limitation of remedies against infringement, such as the recovery of statutory damages and attorney fees. 

Regardless of the time of application, however, a registration is a prerequisite to filing a lawsuit for infringement. In addition, the owner of a copyright registration has the right to request U.S. Customs Officials to seize imported items that infringe the copyright.

A trademark is any word, slogan, or symbol which is used in trade with goods and services to indicate their source of origin and to distinguish them from the goods and services of others. Trademark rights may be used to prevent others from using a confusingly similar mark, but not to prevent others from offering the same goods and services under a non-confusing mark.

In the United States, trademark rights are created when use of a trademark begins. However, these rights are often limited. Greater rights are available by registering the trademark with the state or federal government. Trademarks used in interstate or foreign commerce may be registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“PTO”).

A trademark application can be submitted to the PTO based upon actual use in commerce or a bona fide intent to use the mark in commerce. It is important to prepare the application with the assistance of a law firm experienced in trademark matters. Among other things, many aspects of a trademark application cannot be changed after filing, such that the value of any resulting registration may be irretrievably set by the original application papers. Moreover, once the application is on file, a PTO Examining Attorney will be assigned to scrutinize the application in light of the statutory guidelines for registerability. Throughout the application process, there is a substantial amount of interaction with the PTO Examining Attorney in accordance with some rather convoluted procedural rules, which may involve complex legal issues and concessions that can dramatically affect the statutory trademark rights involved. Indeed, it is possible to receive an official trademark registration that has little or no value in terms of practical trademark protection, such that a trademark attorney should handle the entirety of the process to seek the broadest rights available.

A federal trademark registration carries several benefits and protections under the law. Most importantly, a federal registration constitutes prima facie evidence of the validity of the registration, of the registrant’s ownership of the mark, and of the registrant’s exclusive right to use the mark in commerce on the goods and services specified in the registration certificate. Also important is the fact that a federal registration constitutes constructive notice of the registrant’s claim of ownership. The owner of a federal registration may file an infringement lawsuit in federal court and seek injunctive relief, triple damages and attorneys fees, as well as other remedies. Additionally, a registrant has the right to request U.S. Customs Officials to seize imported goods bearing an infringing trademark.

Trademarks may also be registered in individual States, which may yield additional benefits even though limited to the particular State. For example, applications in Florida are examiner within a matter of weeks and a Florida registration may be a powerful tool in enforcement litigation because attorney fees are recoverable under a more liberal standard.

International trademark protection is also available by registering a trademark in individual countries or multi-nationally through various treaties and conventions.

Patentes son autorizados por el Gobierno otorgando ciertos derechos o privilegios, a inventores para máquinas, procesos, composiciones de materiales, y otros artículos nuevos y utilizables. En los Estados Unidos esos derechos son dados por la Oficina de Marcas y Patentes que examina la presentación detallada y descriptiva de la invención incluida en una aplicación de patentes, comparándolo con otras invenciones patentizadas y públicas para determinar la novedad de el invento.

Un patente le da al dueño derechos exclusivos para parar otros de hacer, usar, vender e importar la invención patentizada por 20 años desde la fecha de prioridad. 

El mejor curso de acción es mantener una invención secreta, por lo menos hasta que una búsqueda y aplicación de patente se inicie, y después empezar la venta y el desarrollo formal de la invención consultando a un abogado. Este curso de acción es el más seguro para mantener sus derechos de aplicar en los Estados Unidos y en el mundo. 

Finalmente, cuando has decidido solicitar una aplicación por un patente, es importante reconocer que solamente un abogado de patentes registrado o un agente registrado delante de la Oficina De Patentes y Marcas de los Estados Unidos puede aplicar y tramitar la obtención de un patente de parte de un inventor. Por lo tanto, la mayoría de los abogados generales no están permitidos a aplicar por un patente de parte de un cliente porque antes de ser registrado necesitan tener un titulo universitario en ingeniería o las ciencias, y pasar un examen especial de registración.

Derechos de autor protegen trabajos de creación como libros, pinturas, composiciones musicales y programas de computadora, de parte de el autor. El dueño de un derecho de autor puede controlar la reproducción y publicación, incluyendo en forma derivativa como una traducción, del trabajo.

De acuerdo a las leyes de los Estados Unidos y la mayoría de otros países, los derechos de autor se crean al completar el trabajo, pero esos derechos son limitados y se recomienda que se tomen pasos adicionales para maximizar los derechos de autor con una registración. Además de aplicar por registración con la Oficina de Derechos de Autor de los Estados Unidos, también es importante poner una notificación apropiada en el trabajo en…. Una notificación de derecho de autor debe incluir la palabra “copyright” (“derechos de autor”), o una abreviatura que incluye la letra “c” en un circulo, el ano de publicación, y el nombre del dueño de los derechos de autor.

Para mas información sobre cualquiera de estos temas, llame o mande un correo electrónico a nuestros abogados para recibir una consulta inicial gratis.

Una marca es generalmente cualquier palabra, palabras o logotipo que se esta usando o se intenta usar en el mercado en asociación con un producto o servicio para indicar a los consumidores el origen de los mismos y para distinguirlos de los productos y servicios de otros.

Los derechos en una marca pueden ser usados para prevenir que otros no puedan usar una marca que causa confusión en los ojos de los consumidores sobre el origen de los productos o servicios. En los Estados Unidos los derechos en una marca empiezan con uso, pero esos derechos pueden ser limitados. Por esa razón es recomendable que las marcas se registren al nivel federal con la Oficina de Marcas y Patentes para asegurar derechos mas fuertes en los Estados Unidos. Una aplicación para registrar una marca puede ser iniciada después de el uso actual o en anticipación de el uso actual para asegurar los derechos desde una fecha mas temprana. Es muy importante reconocer que una incorporación o registro de un nombre ficticio no garantiza que el nombre se puede usar como marca y no le da al dueño derechos de marca en ese nombre.

Derechos parecidos pueden ser obtenidos en otros países donde se piensa vender el producto o servicio. Es importante reconocer que la mayoría de otros países requieren una registración para asegurar los derechos, y por esa razón es muy importante iniciar una aplicación en esos mercados con un abogado de marcas lo mas pronto posible. Una aplicación en los Estados Unidos puede ser usado como base para ese tipo de aplicación.

发明人因发明新型实用的机器，工序，制品及物品成分而被授予专利权。在美国，如果专利权被授予，自申请之日起二十年，专利拥有人拥有制造，使用，销售专利项目的专有权。

专利制度是由美国宪法确立，并且在美国，专利权的唯一来源是美国专利和商标局（PTO）。专利有三种类型：实用新型专利，外观设计专利，植物专利。 实用新型专利，到目前为止，是最常见的，可保护机械，电气，化学的发明。另一方面，外观设计专利，只保护设计特点和实用的物品装饰形状。最后，植物 专利保护无性繁殖的植物，是相对罕见的。

专利制度的目的之一，是促进科学普及和公众的知识。因此，这一概念，是为了鼓励发明者透露自己的秘密发明，使公众将从中受益，并有机会借鉴这些知 识。作为回报，发明人收到一个临时的发明垄断权，这由政府强制实施。然而，法律旨在限制只有真正的发明才能被授予专利。因此，如果这个想法是新的，新颖 的，无人知晓的，才会被PTO授予专利。如果一个想法是已知的，或如果对在特定领域的普通技术人员中是显而易见的，那它就不是一个真正的发明，专利权将不 获批准。专利申请是由PTO的专利审查员审查以便达到这些最低要求。

最安全的做法是保守发明的秘密直到提交专利申请。事实上，这是国外大多数国家专利保护的要求，在某些情况下，美国允许短暂的宽限期。

需要注意的是，只有注册的专利律师（或代理人）可为发明人提交专利申请，除非发明人自己尝试提交专利申请。因为注册的专利律师（代理人）必须有一个工程或科学背景，并通过PTO的特殊考试，大多数律师是不允许进行专利申请的。

欲了解更多有关专利，或进行专利申请，请通过电子邮件，电话或传真与公司联系。我们期待着有机会为您服务。