Fordham -How effective decision-making is within the IT department - Analysis...
10 Things Business Owners Should Know About Intellectual Property
1. 10 Things Business Owners Should
Know About Intellectual Property
Presented By:
Kelley Clements Keller, Esq.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
2. You Should Know …
1.
What Constitutes Intellectual
Property (IP) and Why It is
Important
3. 1. What Constitutes IP
IP is a legal concept which refers to the products of
human imagination, creativity, and ingenuity that
have value in the marketplace and for which
exclusive rights are recognized.
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
4. 1. What Constitutes IP
Intellectual property is an intangible or
intellectual asset that provides its owner with a
competitive advantage.
The loss of these assets can be very costly, often
times even more so than loss of physical assets such
as a building, property/inventory, or equipment.
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
5. 1. What Constitutes IP
Examples include inventions, business logos, and
musical compositions.
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
6. 1. Why IP Is Important
IP is not only an important part of a business’s plan
for success, but a vital part of the U.S. economy and
the nation’s competitive advantage in the global
marketplace.
Three Ways Nations Grow Rich
Natural Resources
Cheap Labor
Creativity Of Its People
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
7. 1. Why IP Is Important
U.S. Constitution – Article 1, Sec. 8, Cl. 8
“To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing
for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to
their respective Writings and Discoveries”
“There is so much of our economy that is linked to branded
products, copyrights. So much of our economy thrives on
creativity.” Former U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
8. You Should Know …
2. The Two Rules of Thumb for
Determining Whether a Piece of
IP is Worth Protecting
9. 2. Deciding Whether to Protect IP
Is the IP directly related to your competitive
advantage?
Does the IP have value in the marketplace?
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
10. You Should Know …
3. The Four Major Forms of
Intellectual Property
11. 3. The Four Major Forms of IP
Patents
Grant from the federal government to exclude others from
making, using and selling an invention for a limited time.
It’s a “contract” between the inventor and the government.
Protects functional items that are useful, novel and
nonobvious.
Scope and Duration of Protection
National (no rights during pendency)
20 years from date of filing (utility/plant)
14 years from date of grant (design)
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
12. 3. The Four Major Forms of IP
Trademarks
Words, phrases, symbols, designs, or a combination
thereof … that distinguish a manufacturer’s or merchant’s
goods from those offered by others.
Scope and Duration of Protection
National
In perpetuity, so long as in use
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
13. 3. The Four Major Forms of IP
Copyrights
“Copyright protection subsists in original works of
authorship fixed in any tangible medium.”
Exclusive rights of federal copyright registration – reproduce
the work, prepare derivative works, distribute copies of
the work, perform the work publicly, and display the work
publicly.
Scope and Duration of Protection
National
Life plus 70 years
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
14. 3. The Four Major Forms of IP
Trade Secrets
Formula, pattern, physical device, idea, process, or other
information that provides the owner of the information with a
competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Examples include the Coca-Cola formula, WD-40 formula, and
KFC recipe
Scope and Duration of Protection
Worldwide
Until no longer secret
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
15. You Should Know …
4. The Four Types of Patents and
How Patent Protection is
Obtained
16. 4. Patents and Patent Protection
Utility Patents
Business Method Patents
Design Patents
Plant Patents
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
17. 4. Patents and Patent Protection
Patentable Subject Matter
The Supreme Court has said that patents cover “anything
under the sun that is made by man.” –Diamond v.
Chakrabarty, 447 U.S. 303 (1980) (genetically-engineered
bacteria that broke down crude oil)
Patentability Tests
Usefulness – 35 U.S.C. § 101.
Novelty – 35 U.S.C. § 102.
Non-Obviousness – 35 U.S.C. § 103.
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
18. 4. Patents and Patent Protection
What is an Invention?
Conception + Reduction to Practice = Invention
Who is an Inventor?
Inventorship cannot be determined until the patent
application claims are drafted.
Inventor is one who contributes significantly to conception OR
reduction to practice.
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
19. 4. Patents and Patent Protection
What Does a Patent do?
Patent grants exclude others from:
Making the invention
Using the invention
Selling the invention
Offering the invention for sale
Importing the invention
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
20. You Should Know …
5. The Four Types of Trademarks
and the Requirements for Federal
Registration
21. 5. Types of Trademarks
Trademarks
Identify and distinguish the source of a good
Service Marks
Identify and distinguish the source of a service
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
22. 5. Types of Trademarks
Collective or Membership Marks
Used by a cooperative to indicate that goods/services are
provided by a group member.
Certification Marks
Used to indicate (“certify”) the quality of goods or
services. The placement of a certification mark on goods or
use in conjunction with services is an assurance to
consumers that the goods and services meet the standards
of the certifying organization.
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
23. 5. Types of Trademarks
Other Forms of Trade Identity:
Trade Dress
Encompasses the distinctive “look” of a product. Trade
dress can include product packaging, distinctive restaurant
designs, product configuration or product containers.
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
24. 5. Types of Trademarks
Product Configuration
The actual design of the product itself (as contrasted with
its packaging). Product configuration is a form of
trade dress. It must be “inherently distinctive” to
be protectable.
Trade Names
The names of businesses used to identify corporate identity
as contrasted with the source of a product or service. This can
be confusing since a trade name can be a trademark, but need
not always be, e.g. Coca-Cola Corporation versus CocaCola brand cola.
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
25. 5. Requirements - Distinctiveness
Trademarks Must be Distinctive to Obtain
Federal Registration and Protection
Inherently Distinctive
Its intrinsic nature serves to identify a particular source
Acquired Distinctiveness or Secondary Meaning
Distinctiveness may be acquired through use if the public
comes to recognize the mark as an indicator of source, thus
giving it “secondary meaning”
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
26. 5. Requirements - Distinctiveness
Spectrum of Distinctiveness for Trademarks,
which helps determine the Strength of a Mark
Fanciful or Coined Marks
Arbitrary Marks
Suggestive Marks
Descriptive Marks
Generic Terms
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
27. 5. Requirements - Distinctiveness
Fanciful or Coined
Marks
Marks that do not have
independent meaning
or significance apart from
their existence as a
trademark, aka made-up
words. These are the
strongest marks on the
spectrum of
distinctiveness
For oil and gas products
For copying equipment
For food products
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
28. 5. Requirements - Distinctiveness
Arbitrary Marks
Existing words that are
used in connection with
goods/services that are
wholly unrelated to the
normal meaning of the
word. These are also very
strong marks
For computers
For electronic commerce services
For Internet search engine services
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
29. 5. Requirements - Distinctiveness
Suggestive Marks
Marks that require
thought, imagination,
or perception to identify
the nature of the goods/
services. These are not as
strong as fanciful or
arbitrary marks.
For outdoor clothing and equipment
For tuna
For detergent
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
30. 5. Requirements - Distinctiveness
Descriptive Marks
Terms that immediately
convey an idea of an
ingredient, quality,
characteristic, purpose, or
function of the goods/
services. These are not
protectable as marks
without showing
“acquired
distinctiveness” or
“secondary meaning”
For financial services
NEW YORK LIFE
INSURANCE
COMPANY®
For insurance services
For electronic goods and
retail services
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
31. 5. Requirements - Distinctiveness
Generic Terms
The common name of a
good/service. These
terms can never function
as trademarks:
CEREAL for cereal
MULTISTATE BAR
EXAMININATION for an
attorney competency exam
LIGHT BEER for low-calorie
beer
CRAB HOUSE for restaurant
that serves crab
Examples of formerly
protected trademarks
that are now generic
terms:
ASPIRIN
LINOLEUM
ESCALATOR
CELLOPHANE
ZIPPER
THERMOS
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
32. 5. Requirements - Distinctiveness
Types of Marks that are Protectable through
a Showing of “Acquired Distinctiveness”
or “Secondary Meaning”
Personal Names: AVERY DENNISON for office products,
MCDONALD’S for fast food services, and GALLO for wine
Color, Sound, Scent: color PINK for fiberglass insulation,
“Doink-Doink” sound for Law & Order, peppermint scent
for office supplies
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
33. 5. Federal Registration Benefits
Benefits of Federal Trademark Registration
Prima Facie evidence of validity and ownership
Constructive use conferring nationwide priority as of date
of filing
Constructive notice of the registrant’s ownership of the mark,
e.g. use of the symbol ®
Ability to become incontestable
Improved ability to block importation of infringing goods
Broader array of remedies in an infringement action
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
34. You Should Know …
6. The Types of Material Eligible for
Copyright Protection
35. What Copyright Protects
Copyright protects "original works of
authorship" that are fixed in "a tangible
form of expression."
The fixed form does not have to be directly
perceptible so long as it can be communicated
with the aid of a machine or other device.
36. 6. Copyrightable Materials
Literary Works
Musical Works
Dramatic Works
Pantomimes and choreographic works
Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works
Motion pictures, other audiovisual works and sound
recordings
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
37. 6. Copyrightable Materials
What is NOT copyrightable …
Ideas, concepts, or discoveries
Titles, names, short phrases, and slogans
Works that are not fixed in a tangible form of
expression such as improvised speech or dance
Anything written or created by the US government.
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
38. 6. The Bundle of Rights
What rights does the owner control?
Reproduction
of the Work
Prepare of Derivative Works
Distribution of Copies of the Work
Public Performances of the Work
Public Display of the Work
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
39. 6. Federal Registration Benefits
Benefits of Federal Copyright Registration
Prima Facie evidence of validity and ownership
Ability to sue for infringement and seek injunctions
Statutory damages and attorneys’ fees
Preempts the defense of “innocent infringement”
Improved ability to block importation of infringing goods
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
40. You Should Know …
7. Legal Vehicles Available for
Trade Secret Protection
41. 7. Trade Secret Protection
Patchwork of State Laws
Model: The Uniform Trade Secrets Act (48 States)
The Economic Espionage Act of 1996
Criminalizes theft of trade secrets
Current Legislative Initiatives
Efforts to create federal civil remedies
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
42. You Should Know …
8. The Most Common Types of
Trade Secret Disputes
43. 8. Trade Secret Disputes
Employer v. former Employee
“The information was in my head …”
Lawful discovery v. theft
Permission
Independent development
No longer secret
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
44. You Should Know …
9. The Elements of a Trade Secret
Protection Program
45. 9. Trade Secret Protection
Security Measures
Consider physical layout of facilities – points of entry
Areas where sensitive work occurs, etc.
Confidentiality procedures
Document control
Protocols for computer use
Procedures directed at employees
Procedures directed at persons out of the company
Managing, monitoring and assessing the program
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com
47. 10. Valuing Your IP
Conduct an Intellectual Property Audit
Is our IP being properly protected?
Identify existing patents, trademarks, copyrights, licenses
Identify works in progress: R&D
Identify trade secrets and describe how they are being protected
What is the monetary value of our IP?
Investment capital
Mergers & Acquisitions
* Images may be subject to copyright by a third party.
www.TheKellerLawFirm.com