‘Coffee’ trademark registration increases dramatically in Korea

photo AndreDea

According to Korea Patent and Trademark Office, the number of registration for coffee increases in Korea as the café culture has been gained popularity since 2008, Asia Economy reported. The number of registration was 200~300 per year before 2008, but it went up to 1,100 in 2012 and this year, 600 applications were filed already.  

The reason for high percentage of individual application is that it is easy to start café business and people register for branding, claiming rights and awareness for their business, the office analyzed.  

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Pinterest and Path want P! Trademark battle over letter ‘P’

Pinterest and Path app logo

One of popular social networking companies, Pinterest Inc filed its ‘P’ logo as a trademark in 2012 and it has been approved by USPTO. But Path Inc, a competing SNS company, filed a request an extension of time to file an opposition with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

According to Tech Crunch, Lenny Kravets, a patent attorney, said that if Pinterest was granted the trademark to the “P,” it could then potentially prevent Path, and other apps, from using similar designs. Path’s request for extension will provide them with 90 days to file an opposition and if Path wins, it can stop the registrations of stylized letter ‘P’ as a trademark.

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Apple iPod 'Click Wheel' patent belongs to a Japanese inventor

apple.com

Tokyo District Court ordered Apple to pay about 335 million yen ($3.4m) in damages to a Japanese inventor for infringing his patent, The Asahi Shimbun reported.

The ‘Click Wheel’ technology is that the controller functions with a wheel-shaped sensor and click buttons installed. Users can choose songs, photos and others on the screen by tracking the circle controller and the button.

The Japanese inventor invented this technology in 1998 and Apple held negotiations for using his licensed technology, but they didn't make any agreements. The lawyer representing the inventor said after the court's ruling that “It was recognized that an idea of a Japanese inventor was used in a worldwide hit product. The ruling will encourage inventors.” Apple refused to comment on the ruling.

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