Fees are going up by an average of about 5%.  Basic out-of-pocket costs for filing a utility application will go up to $910 for a small entity, and half that…

Standards Essential Patents (SEPs) claim inventions that must be complied with to satisfy a technical standard.  Think for example, MP3 music compression technology.  Given that essentially everyone needs to license…

In May, the German Federal Court of Justice recently issued a landmark, 41-page decision that could well make Germany the “go-to” venue for patent owners in future FRAND licensing disputes. …

The Controller General of Patents, Designs and TradeMarks (The Indian IP Office) has extended all trademark deadlines until further notice. 

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) has again extended deadlines on IP matters until August 10, 2020. Deadlines had previously been extended until July 17, but given the continuing impact…

Canadian cannabis dispensary Herbs ‘R’ Us, rolled out a logo a little too reminiscent of the well-known Toys ‘R’ Us logo. Toys ‘R’ Us, feeling a little burned by the…

On July 2, 2020, the USPTO launched the “Fast-Track Appeals Pilot Program” which allows applicants to speed up the examination process on their most important inventions and get a decision…

On June 30, 2020 the Supreme Court handed down a landmark ruling in trademark law: generic terms can be registered as trademarks when followed by .com. Trademark law had, up…

At a recent political rally, the Trump campaign played Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down”. When the singer’s family found out, a cease-and-desist letter was sent, claiming that neither the…

Patent offices all around the world have been finding ways to adjust to the COVID-19 situation by extending deadlines. In Australia, the IP office gave free extensions to customers until…