Insights

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Cooperative Patent Classification – Time to prepare for the launch

By Troels Peter Rørdam | Posted on October 18, 2012

Almost a year ago I wrote on the Awapatent IP Blog about the efforts of the EPO and USPTO to harmonize their patent classification systems to form the Cooperative Patent Classification (in short CPC). The work is progressing, and it has now become time for an update. The CPC is now taking shape, and it has...

Tags: CPC, EPO, IPC, patent classification, USPTO

IP Law – How hard can it be?

By AWA | Posted on October 5, 2012

My trainee colleagues and I are now in the final stage of our first 5-week theory period. So many new impressions, new colleagues and new information have opened up for us, revealing an exciting new world of IP law. When I first applied for the Trainee program, I had very little knowledge of the many...

Tags: awapatent, IP, trainee programme

Chinese focus on IP

By Vibeke Warberg Rohde | Posted on October 1, 2012

Recently representatives of Awapatent participated in the China Intellectual Property Focus 2012 conference in Shanghai. Our participation is a part of our effort to make Awapatent’s name known in China, but we also believe that it is important to contribute to the growing IP awareness in China. Accordingly, Mikael Bergstrand from our Malmö office gave...

Tags: awapatent, china, counterfeits, IP rights

Design just as important as technical issues in Apple vs. Samsung verdict

By AWA | Posted on August 31, 2012

The dispute between Apple and Samsung on smartphones and tablets has received much public attention. Recently, a landmark verdict was reached when a California based court decided in Apple’s favour. Samsung now has to pay at least one billion US dollars to Apple, who also has sought a sales ban in the USA on a...

Tags: design protection, Infringement, Patent, Software, USA

Breast cancer gene patents once again found valid by US appeals court

By Niklas Mattsson | Posted on August 23, 2012

In the “Myriad case” an ongoing legal battle with many twists and turns, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, CAFC, has decided to once again uphold patent claims covering isolated human genes BRCA1 and BRCA2, owned at least partly by Myriad Genetics Inc in Utah, USA. The patent claims were initially invalidated in...

Tags: gene patents, USA

Counterfeit Goods in the EU – Troubling News but No Surprise

By AWA | Posted on August 14, 2012

On July 24, the European Commission published a press release concerning its report on seizure of counterfeit goods during 2011 in the EU (see the full report). It turns out that seizure of suspected counterfeit goods increased some 15 % compared to 2010. Top categories are medicines (24 %), packaging material (21 %) and cigarettes...

Tags: china, counterfeits, EU, Infringement, IP rights, Piracy, Trademark

Big Bucks Bunny – Decision on Protection of 3-D Community Trademarks in the EU

By Claus Marcussen | Posted on August 8, 2012

The renowned chocolate manufacturer, Lindt & Sprüngli AG, had filed an application for the protection of their gold rabbit with a red ribbon as a 3-D Community trademark with OHIM (the Community trademarks office). The list of goods comprised “chocolate and chocolate products” in international class 30. A three-dimensional mark is a mark consisting of...

Tags: 3-D community trademark, gold rabbit

A new dawn for protection of designs?

By AWA | Posted on July 6, 2012

It is no secret that the differences in national European law concerning the protection of designs, has been driving many Danish rights holders crazy for years on end. It has been difficult to come to terms with the fact that while many of our prominent Danish designs – designs of which we as a nation are...

Tags: copyright, Denmark, design protection, UK

New decision on Utility Models from the Danish Supreme Court

By Troels Peter Rørdam | Posted on June 29, 2012

The Danish Supreme Court has on 16 May 2012 pronounced an interesting decision regarding utility models. Case no 331/2010 – RASN A/S’ utility model no. DK 2007 00003, concerns a device for loading and unloading cargo items into and out of aero planes. Previously, the DKPTO Board of Appeal for Patents upheld the utility model...

Tags: patents, utility models

The IP Translator watch is finally over

By Kristian Martinsson | Posted on June 25, 2012

On 19 June 2012, the Court of Justice of the European Union finally delivered its judgment regarding the legality of the of OHIM’s class heading practice.  So, what is IP Translator? The case relates to the lawfulness of the OHIM’s practice that begun in 2003, which means that when a class heading in the Nice...

Tags: European Union, IP Translator, judgment, the court of justice

Recent contributors

Ylva Strandberg, Counsel and AU and NZ Patent Attorney, Stockholm, Sweden

Ylva Strandberg

Counsel, AU and NZ Patent Attorney

Hongyue Li, Senior Associate and China Patent Attorney, Beijing, China

Hongyue Li

Senior Associate, China Patent Attorney

Isa Böttiger, Associate and Attorney at Law, Stockholm, Sweden

Isa Böttiger

Associate, Attorney at Law

Ylva Wikmark, Counsel and European Patent Attorney, Stockholm, Sweden

Ylva Wikmark

Counsel, European Patent Attorney

Ashley Zhao, Partner and Attorney at Law, Beijing, China

Ashley Zhao

Partner, Attorney at Law, Business Area Manager

Alexandre Theodorou, Partner and European Patent Attorney, Brussels, Belgium

Alexandre Theodorou

Partner, European Patent Attorney