< class="pagetitle">Author Archive
by Rex Stevenson

When an entity violates an absolute right attributed to a registered trademark without proper approval from the owner of the trademark, then the said entity may be charged with trademark infringement.

If someone notices another trademark that is designed and destined the same as their trademark, they can charge the owner with trademark infringement. All registered trademarks are protected by the Lanham or Trademark Act. This act makes sure that registered trademarks are respected in the United Stats. The law states that no trademark should be promoted or copied by anyone, unless they have full rights or have the owner’s permission.

If you have been a victim of trademark infringement then you will need to prove that there is a connection between your trademark and the trademark that you accuse. The connection means that people can easily get confused when buying the products of one or the other company, thinking that they are the same. Certain aspects of your trademark and the other trademark will be analyzed during the procedure:

1. The structure of the mark, both interior and exterior. 2. The connotation of the mark. The meaning can be explicit or implied. 3. How the mark is pronounced will be reviewed as well. 4. The relation of the infringing mark to the goods or services will also be analyzed. 5. The impression of the public will also be assessed. Actual test impressions on the consumers may be done.

The most popular punishment used in these situations on the people who are guilty of trademark infringement is something called “injunction”. This actually denies the guilty party to do any actions regarding mark infringement. Although many companies who win the trials obtain a lot of money, this doesn’t happen all the time. If trademark infringement led to a situation when the company lost their profit, the guilty party will have to pay a certain amount of money.

“Trademark dilution,” can be sought by plaintiffs with well-known trademarks. By doing so, the infringed mark will not be further utilized. There are factors to consider for a trademark to be specified as “famous” before an infringed mark will be blurred or tarnished.

If you have been accused of trademark infringement, here are some recommended actions to undertake. Do not copy. If you will be making a trademark, make sure that you do it with immense originality. It must be unique. Also, do a search. The uniqueness of your trademark may be verified by doing “trademark search.” Primarily, you can scout for used trademarks on the internet. There are a lot of “trademark search website” which can help you on your endeavor. Secondly, spare some time to visit the Patent and Trademark Depository Library or PTDL to browse for possible similar trademarks that you have. The said library is situated to almost every state.

There is a price for copying someone else’s original work. It is not simply injunction or paying monetary damages to the plaintiff that can happen to you. There are more upsetting instances that can happen to you. You or your company’s reputation is at stake with trademark infringement. Who would then trust someone who committed trademark infringement? No one.

About the Author:

Comments 1 Comment »

by Rex Stevenson

The States Patent and Trademark Office registers what is called trademark. The term trademark actually means an image, device, or a word which identifies itself with a product made by a certain company. Each company has a unique trademark.

Copyright is a way of protecting both unpublished and published literary, artistic and scientific works, and any forms of expressions as long as it is tangible. It means you can touch it, hear it, or see it. An essay, a play, a song, funky original choreography, HTML coding, or graphics can be protected. Laws of copyright grant the creator’s exclusive rights to distribute, display, perform, reproduce, and prepare derivative works publicly.

In the United States the guarantee for a patent (which is also an intellectual property) is ensured by the USPTO, in other words, United States Patent and Trademark Office. Registering your patent there will keep anyone from distributing, selling or copying your patent for a certain amount of time. The Patent Act, 35 U.S.C. refers to the United States patent and clears any form of confusion concerning the law.

Some things cannot be patented like, for example, when you discover a nature law; the gravity, it’s for everybody’s use because it’s a thing that represents our environment, which is without charge. Any physics law or idea will not be patented. This also applies to offensive content and inventions that are not practical. However, any form of creativity or artistic ideas, can and will be patented to ensure their originality.

The patent law is created to serve various purposes. It is found in the U.S. Constitution, Clause 8 of Section 8 of Article I stating the power of the Congress to support the advancement of useful arts and science by giving exclusive rights to inventors and authors on their discoveries and writings over a limited period of time. Thus, a patent system was created by the Congress to reward limited monopolies to the inventors on making, selling, and using their inventions.

The inventions can be made available to the public however retaining its right from preventing others to use, sell, or make the invention. Patents are considered public records once it is issued. The patent applications of inventors must disclose the best approach for using or making their patented invention. The patent can be considered invalid if you fail in this procedure.

It is a fact that mental processes and abstract ideas are not eligible for patented rights. However, the software based on mathematical algorithms receives patent protection because it does not belong on the patent scopes. Algorithm is considered as a natural law while mathematics is the primary working tool of science and technology. The Supreme Court in 1981 included inventions related to software in the patent protection. It is because the function of the program only incorporates the underlying principles of mathematical algorithms. Non-physical processes are utilized by the software to operate electronically using mathematical equations or algorithms for controlling the computer program outputs. Functional application of mathematical algorithms in computer programs can be patented. Using examples from electricity or physics are not patentable. However, the methods in which electricity are utilized for transmitting information is patentable.

Only unique ideas or new useful inventions can obtain protection. Unless the invention is easily applicable and has a well served purpose, it will not fit the requirements in order to be protected. Also, inventions that are too obvious will have the same fate. Inventions which were sold before being registered will not qualify, when trying to obtain copyright. People who invent the same thing in different parts of the world cannot obtain protection rights easily.

The description of the patent claims is the following: an introduction of the patent, the elements that refer to its usage and the protection of the patent to any form of violation of terms.

About the Author:

Comments No Comments »

by Rex Stevenson

Although the application is easy to fill, you may find the online system is more accessible. The things you have to do in order to fill an online application are: getting on the USPTO site and just use the Trademark Electronic Application System. This is more advantageous than the traditional way because paper documents are not handled right away after you fill them and they also cost 50 dollars more.

A trademark is a sort of signature for a certain company or a product, but it has been registered and cannot be copied and used by anyone than its owner. It’s very important that we teach people to use their own original trademarks and don’t copy other trademarks. The abbreviation used for a trademark is TM.

The steps when filling an application online are very easy: first you need to find the USPTO site and log into it, then you should find “Trademarks” in the menu and choose the “FILE online” option. This process is free from ambiguity and can be done by anyone. You also have to write the exact date when you first used your mark, describe it, and make a presentation of your products or services which will be using that mark.

There are many classifications for trademarks on the USTPO website so make sure you choose the one that suits your business best. They also have an online system if you happen to be confused about the classifications.

When registering your trademark, you need to add: graphic representations of your trademark or other design samples proposed. Of course, don’t forget about the registration fee which is 325 dollars for each of the classifications.

There are also qualifications to meet before your trademark can qualify for a federal registration. First, use your trademark as an “interstate commerce” to register with the USPTO. It means that your trademark is intended for services or products which crosses national, territorial, or state borders, or directly affects commerce which crosses in those lines. Take for instance; a motel, a restaurant, or an internet business which caters to international or interstate customers.

When the USPTO considers your trademark eligible for government registration, they will publish it their official publication. The “Official Gazette” will state that your trademark is an eligible candidate for federal registration. This will give a chance for the existing owners of various trademarks to object. If somebody objects, a hearing will be scheduled by the USPTO to resolve disputes. If nobody objects, you must receive a USPTO response within one year. The processing of your trademark application can last for one year or more. It also depends on the raised legal issues and basis for application during the examination process.

To maintain your trademark status, you should file a statement to use the trademark continuously or renew your application. In this way, you can acquire additional rights especially if incontestability statement is filed. Keep in mind that the USPTO will not notify you if your statements are due. Your federal registration is ten canceled once you fail to renew or pass a statement. Make sure that you understand all the terms and conditions upon your registration.

About the Author:

Comments 1 Comment »

by Rex Stevenson

Trademarks are symbols, designs, or any form of identification that helps people recognize a brand. The owner of a certain trademark receives rights if that trademark is registered, these rights protect his brand from being copied and distributed illegally. The agency which registers the trademark gives people trademark rights and receives different financial advantages.

In contrast to patents, the time span of trademark protection depends on the contract signed. However, trademark protection can be reinstated or renewed for an indistinct period of time for as long as the owner can pay the supplementary charges. The use of a trademark can be traced back to ancient times, back when men of craftsmanship replicated their trade name on their merchandise. Through the course of time, these trade names or marks progressed into the present day’s organizational structure of trademark protection and registration.

Trademarks help the evolution of economy and society; they also help create a better system for selling services and products. A well known brand has a popular trademark and that helps people buy quality products. Only easy to sell trademarks come that far, as it is very important to find the right trademark to register. A great trademark name will sell and become popular in a shorter time; considering this aspect when making your decision is important.

The next part of this article will give you information about the best way to choose your trademark:

When trying to come up with a name for your trademark, any field can be used, from legends, history, culture, and biology to art, sports or music; anything is good as long as it has a link to what you sell. This is a very important factor when choosing a trademark name.

Opt for a name or phrase that signifies the principles or standards of the company or its commodities. The name may not be a literal description. Concentrate on words that have an optimistic implication which will promote its marketability and may consequently motivate the consumers. Other companies use acronyms or abbreviations instead of a specific term in distinguishing themselves in the corporate world.

You can choose a different language in order to represent your company. Using a word that describes something that represents your products can be a great way to start. However, trademark law does not register exact translations of a certain word, but terms which describe the company non-literally can be registered.

Make sure that your company is different from others by creating a unique and inventive name. Also, a different name will get easily registered and will be noticed faster by the public. With an original name, you don’t need to pay a lot of money on advertising because people will remember it better. You might have to add some information about the name, if that is a bit too original.

When you have chosen your trademark, it is time to register it. You need to know that before applying for registration your trademark has to meet some requirements. You can hire a specialized lawyer to examine your trademark and confirm if it is eligible for registration.

Make a bigger list of trademark names; if something happens and one of your choices cannot be registered, you can choose from the others. Being prepared, in case something happens, is the best thing you can do. Although the registration process is a long and difficult process, it is not impossible and everything will pay off when your trademark will be well known.

About the Author:

Comments 3 Comments »

by Rex Stevenson

Why do you want to create a blog? There are several reasons you want to create a blog. First you want to bring in more traffic to your blog and in some case you may also want to make some money from your blog. Blogging probably wont make you wealthy overnight but if you do it right, you will produce some income for yourself.

Blogs are popular and are becoming even more popular, so if you haven’t got one then you are probably missing out on all those readers that would be interested in your subject. Internet users love blogs and when they find one that they really like then they keep coming back. The search engines also like those blogs. They realize that it’s the blogs that have the most current information, and information that is always changing too.

Decide on the best Blogger Platform - First you need to decide which blogging platform you are going to use. You can either use Blogger or WordPress. There is a lot of competition between the two platforms and each has its own advantages. The best way to decide is to go to the sites and see which gives you the most benefits. You can always change your content from one platform to the other at a different time.

Find your passion and you will find your Blog - Choosing your platform is half the job, but you also need to decide on what you will blog about, so you need to choose a subject that you truly like, because this is what you will be writing about, and answering questions to. A blog is like a daily newspaper so it needs to be about something you want to learn about and write about.

It is really important that you are truly passionate about what you are blogging about. The only way you are going to make your blog interesting is if you blog about something you really like. It shows through in your righting.

Be one of the best - There are lots of bloggers out there but there are some that make between four and five figures a month and you can do the same with effort. You have to become well known among bloggers and you need to have the information that people want.

Getting the Blog up is just the start- getting the blog up is fairly easy compared to all the other work that needs to be done. The work comes when you stat putting the blogs, pictures and information on the site. This is like your own journal and you need to post very often for the blog to be successful.

Learn to Increase Traffic - putting up a blog is actually the easy part. You will need to learn how to increase traffic to you blog. You will need to learn what makes you stand out among other bloggers, If you don’t learn how to increase your traffic then you will be just as bad as all those static web sites. And learning how to increase traffic takes time, learning about new tools, reading as much information as you can find, implementing new techniques, etc.

About the Author:

Comments No Comments »

by Rex Stevenson

Intellectual Property Rights or IPR is a controlled protection for original works such as writing, identifiers, inventions, and processes. Patent and trademark are some of the many types of intellectual properties. A patent is an “exclusive right” given by a state to a patentee. An approved patent is usually an invention which is original, creative, functional and most importantly “industrially relevant.” The right is being given in a permanent duration as long as it is made known to the public.

Patents are classified into three categories such as:

1. Plant patent- it refers to plants which are created through asexual reproduction. Everybody who makes a new variety of plants will receive a plant patent. 2. Utility patent- it refers to technology and inventions that have to do with mechanisms, piece of manufacture or machines which contribute to industrial and economical development. 3. Design patent- this patent refers to designs and is given to anyone who creates a unique, useful, and new design for an article of manufacture.

Trademarks are signs or words used for identification of brands. Their purpose is to make the clients aware of the goods they buy and help them recognize certain well known brands. People who own trademark rights are protected from anyone who wants to steal their business name in order to obtain profit. On the other hand, people who own patent rights can deny anyone to make replicas of their invention, sell it, or distribute it without their permission.

The government obliges people who have patent rights to make their inventions public. On the other hand, trademarks are a form of advertising and marketing for any company who wants to sell their products as unique. The connection between a trademark and a patent is the fact that they both give their owners exclusive rights making it illegal for other people to copy or use them.

Any inventor can sell its invention or license it in order to obtain profit. By selling it you will lose all your rights on it. However, using the license system helps the inventor obtain a part of the selling made by a certain company. People can also obtain benefits from trademarks, but this is only made through advertisement since trademarks are one of the most important marketing tools for companies.

In order to obtain a patent you will have to present a detailed well written description of it. In that description you must state where your patent can be used, how it was created and how can it be used. This whole description is also called “patent specification”.

If you need an application form to register your trademark, you can download one from the USPTO site or go personally at their office. With the application form the company has to also submit images and designs of their mark. Don’t forget to include a description of the products sold by the company or a description of the services it provides.

You shouldn’t forget about the fees charged in patent or trademark registration. The USPTO is the organization that deals with these registrations. Also, if you need any help they can provide the advice. You can also check out “The Investors Assistance Center” for any questions you have regarding inventions and patent. If you want information about trademarks, a trademark specialized lawyer is the person you need to obtain good information.

Our ideas, no matter if they are inventions or signatures on our products, must be protected by our society in order to assure economical progress, cultural and social development. A discovery is not only for one person’s use, all people should benefit from it; by protecting it, that thing can be assured.

About the Author:

Comments No Comments »

by Rex Stevenson

Today there are many homes that have been foreclosed on in Florida. In fact Florida ranks second in the nation in available foreclosure properties. There are nearly 280, 000 home foreclosure in the state, that is up nearly 300% from 2006. People just tried to buy too much home for their financial abilities.

Banks and lenders just don’t want to sit on empty houses! Empty houses don’t produce money and they do require upkeep. That means there are a lot of properties out on the market and these will be sold with substantial savings for the buyers. This is a great opportunity for those that want to find investment property.

So, there are all kinds of properties out on the market today. There is commercial real estate, land, condominiums, homes, etc. You have your pick at great prices.

Fist let’s discuss what a foreclosure is, that way you can better understand why there is so much property for sale in Florida, and why its not a scam. When someone buys a home, they usually get financing from a bank or a lending institution. They then begin to make monthly payments. When you buy a home and get a fixed interest rate, then you pay the same amount month in and month out throughout the term of the loan. But there are many loans that are not fixed interest, but are variable interest rates. This means that you may start out paying small monthly payments, but as time goes on the payments will start increasing.

A lot of people got into too much of a house for their income level, the wrong type of mortgage for their needs, or lost their job and just couldn’t continue to pay their home, so they have to return it to the lender.

These people have no other option except to let the bank foreclose, and the lender has no other choice expect to take the property back. Worse yet, the lender doesn’t want the property, this implies even more expense for them. They have to do maintenance, keep the property up, etc.

These lenders need to get rid of the property and get rid of it quickly and this means they need to either sell it directly or through an auction. They are known to even offer a 20% discount. The bank needs the money to make other loans.

This leaves you with a great number of opportunities available in Florida. And this why there are so many houses and properties at such great prices, and why it is a good idea to invest in these as an investment or just as a great deal on a home.

About the Author:

Comments 1 Comment »

by Rex Stevenson

Each person who creates something that has artistic or literal value must protect it, using the copyright system. The copyright system ensures that a certain artistic work has legal rights. Examples of artistic works are photographs, paintings, drawings, or everything that is visual; other examples include music or choreography, and even computer programs or different designs.

People’s creativity can be protected with the use of copyright. Copyright ensures that your work is recognized and sometimes it can bring you different financial rewards. People who have created artistic work will be sure that copyright will protect them if their work is copied, distributed or used without their permission. Also, another important aspect of copyright is that it will improve culture quality, entertainment and artistic knowledge all over the globe.

Most creative works under copyright require financial investment, communication, and mass distribution upon dissemination using different media. It includes publications, films, and sound recordings. The creators are often selling the rights of their works to companies or individuals who can market their works best to get back what they paid for. These payments are independently made based on the actual work usage, known as royalties.

The WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) states that these companies receive rights only fifty years after the death of the creator, but in some cases the national law can extend the time limit. This helps the creators and their heirs to obtain profit for some time. This treaty also includes moral rights, like the right of claiming authorship or protecting their reputation if changes are made that may harm it.

Each country has its own national legislation, which gives the copyright and other rights to people. International treaties may have some of the national laws applied to make sure that there is no discrimination when granting rights to the creators. If you need more information about this, you should check the National Copyright Administration or CLEA (Collection of Laws For Electronic Access).

World Intellectual Property Organization is an international organization which gives a lot of international treaties that have connections with intellectual property rights. It is important for everyone to seek the advice of copyright lawyers, although WIPO is obliged to consult anyone upon different legal matters.

Copyright is not something new. Even before any legal procedures towards copyright were done, there was copyright. People had copyright on their works although they made no formalities. This fact was stated in the Berne Convention and is available now in countries where this convention is recognized and used.

There are national offices where people can register because the WIPO does not help you with the copyright registration. Registering your work may have some benefits: you can become known, your work is distinguished from other works, and you can use your rights in court if someone makes illegal moves on your work.

Trademarks are words, names and symbols that are used as a signature for a company or business in order to make sure that people recognize their products. The brand name is the one who defines a trademark.

Trademark registration is not an obligation, but people can obtain some benefits if they register their trademark: recognition, full rights, a basis to international trademark registration or the right to invoke federal courts. Also it helps a lot if people know the difference between copyright and trademark.

About the Author:

Comments No Comments »

by Rex Stevenson

Trademark lawyers are the ones responsible with legal matters concerning intellectual property rights. In other words, they handle matters that concern trademark law and trademark practice. In order to become a trademark lawyer, a person must pass specialized examinations. This is necessary to ensure that the person has the knowledge and the ethics to perform trademark registrations.

In some areas like New Zealand, United Kingdom, and Australia, lawyers should meet some requirements in order to become trademark lawyers. This title is also named “exclusive” or “protected” title. In the United States a lawyer doesn’t need to have this specialized exam. Also, keep in mind that in order to obtain a trademark registration you also need to know about the whole procedure and the laws involved. In order to obtain good information and advice, you can hire a lawyer. Trademark lawyer’s obligations are:

1. The lawyer has full responsibility to advise you in choosing the best trademark for a product or service. They can also obtain search reports on other trademarks to make sure that yours is unique. After examining such a report, the lawyer is able to help you change your mark or move on with the procedure. A lawyer’s responsibility is to also answer any of the client’s questions and inform them about the procedure and the fees involved.

2. A trademark lawyer must help in drafting your trademark application. He should give special attention on the product’s description. This is important during your trademark registration.

3. Another trademark lawyer’s responsibility is ensuring that his clients’ applications are complete. Lawyers must read and, if necessary, correct the drawing page in order to make sure that it is accepted by the USPTO. Make sure that you provide an image for each of the following: product name trademark, trademark slogan, and trademark logo.

4. Another essential thing during the trademark registration process is communicating well with the USPTO. This helps if the USPTO finds out that there are problems with your trademark. Any objection should be answered by your lawyer, through a good communication.

5. Your trademark lawyer is also obliged to give you advice on any matters concerning the applications and filling them. Also, they must also teach you about online trademark searching, trademark registration fee or anything that you will use during your registration process.

6. Moreover, a trademark lawyer can counsel you about handling situations including receiving desist and cease letter. This letter is written if one party believes that his or her trademark is infringed. Your lawyer should evaluate desist and cease letter and offer you the needed assistance.

You can find a trademark lawyer almost everywhere, in online databases or just by searching the yellow pages. If you know someone who needed trademark registration, you can ask them if they know a good lawyer. You can find trademark lawyers, but it is harder to find the best lawyers, so this job will take more time than you expected. Also, avoid beginner lawyers or the ones who never practiced their specialization if you want to successfully register your trademark.

You can ask the help of a lawyer whom you trust to find the best trademark lawyer. The importance never solely lies on the lawyer’s name but on the quality of services he can provide. A trademark lawyer is in a good position to be confident enough that your case is well handled as expected. Try finding a trademark lawyer in your area who has the skills in handling trademark related cases. If the lawyer rejects to handle your case, he could probably suggest another good lawyer perhaps.

Do not forget that lawyers should receive “referral fees” to become motivated. This is a very popular method to ensure that your lawyer will give 100% for your case. Before starting anything just ask your lawyer if he will ask for referral fees. Hiring a good lawyer is a hard job but not impossible. Make sure that your lawyer is good to successfully accomplish the first steps needed for a popular and respected company.

About the Author:

Comments No Comments »