jungle scout's million dollar case study: intellectual property and protecting ideas

PROTECTING IDEAS AND AVOIDING INFRINGEMENT

byMarc Karish

© Karish & Bjorgum, PC 2017119 E. Union Street, Suite BPasadena, California 91103Tel: (213) 785-8070E-mail: marc.karish@kb-ip.com

1

TYPES OF PROTECTION

• TRADEMARKS AND TRADE DRESS• COPYRIGHT• PATENTS

2

TRADEMARKS

• Forms of Marks• Searching• Strength of Marks

3

TREADEMARKS MAY BE• Word(s) including surnames and geographical

terms• Letters• Slogans• Symbols• Color and color combinations• Trade dress and product configuration

4

WORD AND SYMBOL MARK

5

TRADE DRESS AND WORD MARK

6

TRADEMARK SEARCHING

7

• USPTO.GOV (TESS)• WEB SEARCH ENGINES• Other

– State Registrations– Specialized Searching (such as for symbols)

• TEST IS WHETHER LIKELY TO CAUSE CONFUSION.

SELECTING YOUR OWN MARK --STRENGTH OF MARKS

• Fanciful and Arbitrary• Suggestive• Descriptive, surnames, and

geographical• Generic (not protectable)

8

Strongest

Weakest

COPYRIGHT• WHAT IS IT?• SUBJECT MATTER PROTECTED• HOW TO OBTAIN• RIGHTS OF THE OWNER• HOW LONG DOES IT LAST?• OWNERSHIP

9

SUBJECT MATTER (EXAMPLES)• PRINTED MATTER INCLUDING

– Software– Proposals– Databases– Catalogs– Manuals

• ARTISTIC WORKS INCLUDING– Computer Screens– Sculptures– Audiovisual Works– Photographs, pictures and text in ads

10

HOW OBTAINED• AUTOMATIC

• OPTIONAL - NOTICE– © OWNER NAME 2017

• OPTIONAL - REGISTRATION

11

TERM OF COPYRIGHT

• LIFE OF THE AUTHOR PLUS AT LEAST 70 YEARS

12

HOW TO AVOID COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

• DO NOT COPY– Independent creation is OK

• OBTAIN ASSIGNMENTS FROM OUTSIDE VENDORS

13

PATENTS

• TYPES OF PATENTS?• WHAT IS INFRINGEMENT?• HOW IS INFRINGEMENT AVOIDED?

14

UTILITY PATENT• SUBJECT MATTER PROTECTED

– Function or features of a product• SCOPE DEFINED BY CLAIMS• TERM

15

SAMPLE UTILITY PATENT

16

DESIGN PATENT• SUBJECT MATTER PROTECTED

– Product appearance• SCOPE DEFINED BY DRAWINGS• TERM

17

SAMPLE DESIGN PATENT

18

WHAT IS INFRINGEMENT?

NON-AUTHORIZED (i.e. no license)MakingUsingSellingOffering for SaleImportingExporting

PATENTED INVENTION

19

HOW TO AVOID INFRINGEMENT

• INFRINGEMENT SEARCH– USPTO.GOV – PATENTS.GOOGLE.COM– IMPERFECT

• STUDY SCOPE OF PATENT– Design around

• VALIDITY STUDY

20

HOW TO AVOID INFRINGEMENT

• WHEN THERE IS PRODUCT OF ANOTHER– Check for patent numbers on product, packaging

and website– Conduct assignee/inventor search– Conduct patentability study

21

CONSIDER GETTING A PATENT

• EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS• MARKET SHARE• PROFIT MARGIN• MARKETING BENEFITS

22

23

THANK YOUMarc Karish

Karish & Bjorgum, PC119 E. Union Street, Suite BPasadena, California 91103Tel: (213) 785-8070E-mail: marc.karish@kb-ip.com