Intellectual Property Law Commons^™

The Idea Of Progress In Copyright Law, Michael D. Birnhack

Buffalo Intellectual Property Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Pirates Are Always With Us: What Can And Cannot Be Done About Unauthorized Use Of Mp3 Files On The Internet, David R. Johnstone

Buffalo Intellectual Property Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Licenses And The Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act, Cheon-Seok Seo

Buffalo Intellectual Property Law Journal

No abstract provided.

International Upheaval: Patent Independence Protectionists And The Hague Conference, Kyle Grimshaw

Duke Law & Technology Review

International lawmakers presently are negotiating a treaty that would not only allow U.S. courts to grant summary judgment in patent infringement suits if a court in Canada or Europe previously found patent infringement, but would actually require it. This paper examines whether courts in the United States should be allowed to find patent infringement based solely upon the fact that foreign courts had previously found patent infringement. The author concludes that changing the law to allow this practice is not sound policy.

International And Comparative Law Perspectives On Internet Patents, Toshiko Takenaka

Michigan Telecommunications & Technology Law Review

The Internet and e-commerce have created a borderless market. Goods and services sold on the Internet are subject to the patent statutes and regulations of all countries in which customers have access. Because the presence or absence of patent protection--or variations in that protection--hinders the movement of goods and services throughout the Internet, it is necessary to harmonize the protection afforded by Internet patents in their early stages of development. Among the three papers, however, only Professor Chiappetta touched upon the problem of compliance with the provisions in TRIPS. None of the papers paid attention to the feasibility of harmonizing …

Economic Espionage Act--Reverse Engineering And The Intellectual Property Public Policy, The, Craig L. Uhrich

Michigan Telecommunications & Technology Law Review

The publicity surrounding[...] incidents of industrial espionage resulted in a push for federal protections. In response to this pressure from U.S. industries, Congress passed the Economic Espionage Act of 1996 ("EEA"). The EEA protects trade secrets through the use of federal criminal sanctions." The EEA's provisions are introduced in Part I. Trade secrets are a form of intellectual property. Therefore, a basic understanding of intellectual property law is important to an analysis of the EEA. Part II of this Article provides an overview of the various forms of intellectual property. To be effective, the EEA must complement existing intellectual property …

Internet Business Model Patents: Obvious By Analogy, Margo A. Bagley

Michigan Telecommunications & Technology Law Review

This Article contends that part of the problem of Internet business model patents is the narrow view of analogous art employed by judges and USPTO examiners which largely excludes relevant "real-world" prior art in the determination of non-obviousness under § 103 of the Patent Act. Consequently, part of the solution lies in helping courts and the USPTO properly to define analogous art for a particular invention. To do so, judges and examiners must recognize the interchangeability of computer programming (i.e. "e-world" activities) to perform a function, with human or mechanical performance of the same function (i.e. "real world" activities). Such …

Defining The Proper Scope Of Internet Patents: If We Don't Know Where We Want To Go, We're Unlikely To Get There, Vincent Chiappetta

Michigan Telecommunications & Technology Law Review

Part I of this Article addresses the appropriateness of protecting Internet innovations under the current patent regime. It concludes that the doctrinal, historical and policy arguments require different outcomes regarding computing (patentable subject matter) and competitive arts (at best a difficult fit) innovation. Part II argues that the new electronic economy has given rise to a particular kind of competitive arts "market failure" (interference with first-to-move lead-time incentives) which must be addressed. It concludes, however, that tinkering with the existing patent or copyright regimes is not only complex, but poses significant risks, and should be avoided. Part III sketches the …

Toward An American Moral Rights In Copyright, Ilhyung Lee

Washington and Lee Law Review

No abstract provided.

Tiger's Paper Tiger: The Endangered Right Of Publicity, David J. Michnal

Washington and Lee Law Review

No abstract provided.

The First Sale Doctrine And Digital Phonorecords, Bob Hyde

Duke Law & Technology Review

This iBrief follows various phonorecord formats to illustrate the specifics of the First Sale doctrine as it applies to digital phonorecords. The author argues that the disposal of a digital phonorecord by means of distribution infringes an author's exclusive right to reproduce the underlying musical work and this distribution is not subject to First Sale protection.

The Future Of Database Protection In U.S. Copyright Law, Jennifer Askanazi, Glen Caplan, Dianne Descoteaux, Kelly Donohue, Darin Glasser, Emelio Mena

Duke Law & Technology Review

In the recent British Horseracing Board case, the English High Court signaled a return to the "sweat of the brow" standard of copyright protection. Although recent attempts have been made in the United States to protect databases under this standard, this iBrief argues that the information economy is wise to continuing protecting this data through trade secret, State misappropriation and contract law until legislation is passed.

Japan's New Patent Attorney Law Breaches Barrier Between The "Legal" And "Quasi-Legal" Professions: Integrity Of Japanese Patent Practice At Risk?, Lee Rousso

Washington International Law Journal

In order to increase the quantity of intellectual property related legal services made available to the public, the Japanese Diet enacted a complete revision of Japan's eighty-year-old Patent Attorney Law. Under the terms of the new law, which became effective on January 6, 2001, benrishi (patent attorneys) have authority to greatly expand their range of professional activities. The newly recognized activities encroach upon the statutory monopoly long enjoyed by Japan's bengoshi (attorneys). Furthermore, the new legislation gives the benrishi a professional domain that is inconsistent with the profession's credential requirements. This Comment argues that the revision is likely to have …

Patent Amendments And Prosecution History Estoppel Under Festo, Stephen Dirksen, Kyle Grimshaw, Michael Hostetler, Michael Kim, Steven Mesnick

Duke Law & Technology Review

On November 29, 2000, the Federal Circuit retroactively reduced the value of nearly 1.2 million unexpired United States patents by announcing a new rule for the somewhat obscure doctrine of prosecution history estoppel. Designed to foster clarity in patent applications, this new pronouncement in Festo Corp v. Shoketsu Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Co. allows for easy copying of some patented inventions and reduces patent owner's ability to prove infringement. This article outlines the change in the law and discusses the positive and negative consequences of the decision.

Agricultural Biotechnology: Why It Can Save The Environment And Developing Nations, But May Never Get A Chance, Mary Lynne Kupchella

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

No abstract provided.

Owning Digital Copies: Copyright Law And The Incidents Of Copy Ownership, Joseph P. Liu

William & Mary Law Review

As copyrighted works are increasingly distributed in digital form over the Internet, our conventional print-based understandings of the rights associated with copy ownership are coming into increasing conflict with the copyright owner's right to restrict copying. Specifically, certain common activities, such as reading and transferring physical copies of copyrighted works (such as books), are increasingly being viewed as potential acts of copyright infringement when applied to digital copies. This Article explores this conflict by taking a close look at the concept of copy ownership. It argues that conventional notions of physical property ownership play an important, unrecognized role in copyright …

The Fate Of Napster: Digital Downloading Faces An Uphill Battle, Jennifer Askanazi, Glen Caplan, Dianne Descoteaux, Kelly Donohue, Darin Glasser

Duke Law & Technology Review

First Diamond Multimedia, then MP3.com, now Napster. The recording industry, in a flurry to protect its copyrighted material, has waged an all-out battle against the dot-coms for the future of copyrighted music on the Internet. Since A&M Records, along with several other labels which comprise the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), filed suit against Napster, emotions have run high in the online community. Some have heralded this technology as a much-needed alternative to the strangling grasp of the major record labels; others view it as blatant theft of property. Students, musicians, computer programmers, trade organizations, and even the US …

Digital Music: Educational Issues, John Faust

Brigham Young University Education and Law Journal

No abstract provided.

A Balance Of Interests: The Concordance Of Copyright Law And Moral Rights In The Worldwide Economy, Michael B. Gunlicks

Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

More On Moore: A Novel Strategy For Compensating The Human Sources Of Patentable Cell-Line Inventions Based On Existing Law, Christopher Scott Pennisi

Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Intellectual Property Rights In The Middle East: A Cultural Perspective, John Carroll

Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Giving The Green Light To Silicon Alley Employees: No-Compete Agreements Between Internet Companies And Employees Under New York Law , Dan Messeloff

Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

A Rule For Determining When Patent Misuse Should Be Applied, Katherine E. White

Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

2001 Panel In Trademark Law – I’Ll See Your Twodiscussion On Current Issues Pesos And Raise You . . . Two Pesos, Wal-Mart . . . And Traffix: Where Is U.S. Supreme Court Jurisprudence Heading, And How Will It Affect Trademark Practitioners?, Hugh Hansen, Glenn Mitchell, Inna Fayenson, Perry Saidman

Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Intellectual Property In Georgia, Laurence P. Colton, Nigam J. Acharya

Mercer Law Review

This Article surveys case law developments in Georgia in the area of intellectual property including patents, copyrights, and trademarks from June 1, 1999 to May 31, 2000. The authors have not attempted to include all cases that touch upon intellectual property but instead have selected decisions that are more significant or interesting.

Intellectual property law comprises several discrete yet overlapping areas of law. The three primary areas are patent, trademark, and copyright law. Secondary areas include trade secret, trade dress, and know-how. Patent and copyright law are provided for in the United States Constitution. Thus, the cases regarding these two …

Deutsche Telekom And Voicestream Merger: Charting A New Regulatory Course, Aaron Futch, Yemi Giwa, Andrew Grimmig, Kisa Mlela, Amy Richardson

Duke Law & Technology Review

On July 24, 2000, the German telecommunications giant Deutsche Telekom AG (Deutche Telekom) agreed to purchase the Bellvue, Washington based VoiceStream Wireless Corporation (VoiceStream) for over $50 billion. Although the merger may ultimately fall through, the response generated by the proposed merger indicates the future for deals between US and foreign-owned telecommunications companies. With the increasing globalization of the world's telecommunications markets, the Deutche Telekom deal represents the first time that a company dominated by a foreign government has attempted to purchase an American corporation. The signatories of the Basic Telecommunications Agreement, an agreement among World Trade Organization (WTO) members …

Who’S Afraid Of Amazon.Com V. Barnesandnoble.Com?, Stephen Dirksen, Kyle Grimshaw, Michael Hostetler, Ian Jinkerson, Michael Kim

Duke Law & Technology Review

On October 2, 2000, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit heard the appeal in the case of Amazon.com, Inc. v. Barnesandnoble.com, Inc. This appeal revolves around the alleged infringement by Barnesandnoble.com of a one-click web-shopping system patented by Amazon.com. The one-click system is among a series of recent controversial "business method" patents. According to some, business methods are legitimate inventions that deserve the protection of the US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO). According to others, business methods are unworthy of patent protection and may inhibit innovation in e-commerce. The outcome of this case has been widely anticipated by …

Cybersquatting: The Latest Challenge In Federal Trademark Protection, Justin Graham, Ashley Johnson, Emilio Mena, Neil Wolitzer

Duke Law & Technology Review

The explosion in Internet technology in the past decade has drawn the Lanham Act into the realm of electronic commerce. Trademark owners seeking to register domain names have recently found themselves entwined in a number of disputes, such as disputes involving claims to multiple domain names and disputes over whether the domain name registration system is fairly administered. One important legal issue that has recently come to the fore is over the practice of cybersquatting. Today, courts must contend with the cybersquatter, a speculator who reserves trademarks as Internet domain names for the sole purpose of selling or licensing them …

Drawing A Line In The Congressional Sand Between Congress And The Foreign Citizen "Cybersquatter", Heather A. Forrest

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

"Cybersquatting" on the Internet is a phenomenon that has warranted an amendment to the Trademark Dilution Act of the Lanham Act. The undisputed omnipresence of the Internet, as well as the boundless possibilities of infringement activity on the Internet, has made such an amendment inevitable, as well as necessary. Congress' power to regulate trademark infringement activity, whether traditionally or on the Internet, relies on the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution. The author asserts that participation in the Internet domain name registration process itself does not constitute the "commercial activity in commerce" requirement of the Trademark Dilution Act; in …

An Overview Of The Virginia Ucita, Carlyle C. Ring Jr.

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

Virginia has taken a strong and important leadership in establishing rules for the Information Highway through the Joint Committee on Technology and Science (JCOTS) and Delegate Joe T. May. Without the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (UCITA) no established rules exist in common law for the Information Highway, which means that each judge must create the rules in each case as it arises. Every judge will make his own rules for the particular case. This results in great inconsistency and uncertainty adversely affecting the realization of the full potential of the Information Age economy. Governor Gilmore states: In 2000, Virginia …