Original news and analysis on international IP policy
By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch
BOSTON - More companies have joined a global effort to improve the environment by pledging "green" patents for use in the public domain. Meanwhile, a US IP law group passed a resolution on IP and public health, including provisions urging restriction of compulsory licences.
A top consumer advocate has joined the Microsoft Corporation to lobby for its interests in Brussels. Plus, changes at the top for a Washington IP industry association, and Japan's patent office.
By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch
BOSTON - Patent law in the United States is in danger of becoming "highly destabilised" as well-funded competing interests try to vie for legislators' ears in Washington, a federal judge said Tuesday.
Speaking here to participants at the Harvard Law School Conference on Intellectual Property Law, the Hon. Paul R. Michel, chief circuit judge for the US Court of Appeals for the federal circuit, said such a disruption could have huge consequences for inventions, investment, property of individual companies, and economies.
By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch
BOSTON - Japan next month will roll out a new patent process which aims to examine a patent application anywhere from two weeks to one month from receipt of request. Meanwhile, the United States said patent harmonisation among top IP countries is near, and a client privilege treaty was discussed.
By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch
The presidential election in the United States is getting down to the wire, with Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama being officially chosen as their parties' nominees.
The intellectual property community is taking particular note of what positions the candidates are taking on patent reform, copyright enforcement, internet neutrality, and a host of other issues. Both campaigns have a plethora of expertise in the form of law professors, patent lawyers, and others advising them, either informally or formally.
Por Steven Seidenberg para Intellectual Property Watch El fallo no tiene valor de precedente. No obstante, la reciente decisión del caso Jacobsen v. Katzer (en inglés) tendrá un gran impacto en las leyes estadounidenses sobre derechos de autor, según expertos…
Steven Seidenberg pour Intellectual Property Watch La décision ne fera pas jurisprudence. Néanmoins, selon certains spécialistes de la propriété intellectuelle, le récent jugement de l’affaire Jacobsen contre Katzer aura des conséquences majeures sur le droit d’auteur aux États-Unis. L’affaire Jacobsen…
By Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch
The ruling has no precedential value. Nevertheless, the recent decision in Jacobsen v. Katzer will have a major impact on US copyright law, according to IP experts.
Jacobsen held that open source licences can be enforced under US copyright law. "It is first time that a US court of appeals has directly addressed issues about the enforceability of open source licences," said Jim Thatcher, Of Counsel in the Seattle office of Woodcock Washburn. "There isn't anywhere else for [US] courts to turn for guidance on this issue, so they will turn to this case and its logic for the enforceability of open source licensing terms."
"[T]rust me, this is huge," Lawrence Lessig, a copyright expert at Stanford Law School, wrote in his online blog.
Par Monika Ermert pour Intellectual Property Watch Des représentants des milieux industriels et gouvernementaux, ainsi que des experts dans le domaine du droit de la propriété intellectuelle se sont déclarés surpris par le secret qui entoure les négociations sur le…
Por Monika Ermert para Intellectual Property Watch Los representantes de la industria y del público y los especialistas en derecho de propiedad intelectual están desconcertados por el permanente secreto en el cual se están llevando a cabo las negociaciones sobre…