The USPTO Got Served
Four lawyers and/or inventors are suing the US Government "over their appointment of an unqualified 2nd in command to the critically important Patent and Trademark Office."
Do you need a patent or a trademark?
A blog about a variety of issues pertaining to trademarks written in a non-legalese way.
Resources for Inventors
I was watching American Inventor last night and I realized I hadn't yet done a post for inventors. Has anyone seen this show? I'm consistently bowled over by these folks that have spent THOUSANDS of dollars on their inventions & then walk in with prototypes made of wood, PVC pipe, coat hooks, etc. & it got me wondering where did all that money go??
By the time the episode got to the middle-aged gentleman that had the cake cutter, I think I got my answer. One of the judges asked where he had spent the $30 some thousand dollars (of his retirement!) and he replied that he paid a company to conduct a patent search, file it & help him create it. ding ding ding - bells went off for me at that point.
I'm the first to admit that my knowledge of the entire scope of the patent process is minimal. I understand the concepts & some terms, basically bits and pieces. That being said, I cannot endorse or denounce any particular invention company but I thought it'd be a good idea to post some resources for all those inventors out there.
About.com has a great resource about how to avoid invention company scams.
They also have a very helpful checklist to use when speaking to an invention company.
Michael S. Neustel founded the National Inventor Fraud Center, Inc..
Check with the Federal Trade Commission to see if a company has been investigated or fined; enter the word INVENTION in the search box.
And, then the big patent daddy, the USPTO should definitely be visited.
Trademark News
Well, it's been quite awhile for an update - my apologies to my readers. Business has been good, obviously, so unfortunately my blog has been in the back of the back burner. I know I've got some questions to answer for folks & I promise to do so ASAP.
Here's what's going on in the world of trademark news:
Doc Wins Preliminary Injunction for Cookie Diet
Fifa Applies for 2010 Trademark Control
Dykes on Bikes is Inoffensive, says the USPTO
Small Business Owner Wins $15 Million from Land O'Lakes
Want to know more about trademarks?
Sites for Photographers
This week, the focus is on photographers
Associations:
Professional Photographers of America
Wedding Photojournalist Association
The Master Photographers Association
North American Nature Photography Association
National Press Photographers Association
PhotoLinks, "free directory & portal service"
Articles:
Start Your Own Photography Business from Home by Roy Barker
Why Not Start Your Own Photography Business? by Roy Barker
Photography – Breaking into the Business by Michael Russell
Don't forget about the month long promotion we're running for our blog readers!
Logos, USPTO Style
This post inspired me to talk a bit about how the USPTO classifies logos.
The USPTO designates six digit coded numbers for each & every logo that's submitted. And, boy, do they get specific. Let's take a look at some examples:
020315: Women wearing scarves on their heads
This logo is registered to Duncan Sutherland who is using this logo in connection with skin care services & products.
Most logos are going to have more than one coding and this mark is no different: 020322, busts of women in profile; 020324, women depicted in caricature form; and, 261101, rectangles.
040525: Other mythological or legendary animals
This interesting logo is owned by Stone Brewing Co. for clothing. Of course, this logo is also coded for beer steins, 110302.
160108: Telephones
Sam Chiodo owns this logo for concierge services & is also coded with 021107: arms, fingers, hands, etc.; 090312: gloves; 110325: serving trays
By looking at just 3 examples, you can see how detailed the process is when filing for a trademark on your logo.
When having a logo search done, it's absolutely a priority that the correct design codes are searched.
If you've got a logo & are wondering what codes apply to you, let me know, shannon@tmexpress.com
Don't forget about the month long promotion we're running for our blog readers!
Sites for Visual Artists
Are you a Visual Artist?
Site dedicated to modern and contemporary artists and arts
If you're an emerging artist, check this site out.
Need a job? Explore careers here.
I'll do posts in the coming weeks for the various specialties.
Logos Hoping to be Trademarked
Using this post as inspiration, I thought I'd take a look at some newly filed logos.
That little guy is Serial Number 77202055 & was filed for "non-downloadable ringtones, pre-recorded music, video and graphics presented to mobile communications devices via a global computer network and wireless networks."
Hmm, um, this next one may be a little NSFW depending on where you work. Considering it's owned by The Filthy Food Company, well, let's just say you can tell where they're going with this logo.
This take on da Vinci's Vitruvian Man was assigned Serial Number 77199434 for "Shirts; Jeans; T-shirts; Sweaters; Jackets; Pants; Hats; Caps; Undergarments; Belts; Socks; Coats"
Don't forget about the month long promotion we're running for our blog readers!
Happy Anniversary TradeMark Express Blog!
On June 2, 2007 we celebrated our blog's 1 year anniversary!
Blog, we've had a roller coaster of a ride but have persevered through it all. Here's to many more years of talking trademarks. *clinks internet glasses*
One of the reasons I missed the actual anniversary date is that we've been busy bees over at TradeMark Express. While our blog's a mere baby, TradeMark Express has been getting trademarks for our clients since 1992.
Keeping up during our busy times can be daunting but this blog is an important facet of what we offer to clients. The actual work is paramount, of course, but making sure clients feel as well informed as possible is so important. It's one thing to help clients get their trademarks; it's a completely better thing to help our clients get their trademarks AND to share our knowledge of what's what.
To commemorate our blog's anniversary, I'd like to offer our readers a $100 discount on our trademark package. Let's celebrate all month long, shall we? Just make sure you mention the blog when ordering. Offer good until Sunday, June 30, 2007.
Happy One Year!
* re-posting discount offer every day during the month of June
Sites for Writers
What do writers do? Writer's Write.
Other great resources:
"Writers on the Net has been offering online writing classes since 1995 -- the first private writing school on the Internet"
"Searchable directory of published writers and literary agents"
"Writing.Com is the online community for creative writing, fiction writing, story writing, poetry writing, writing contests, writing portfolios, writing help"
Writer's Associations:
Directory of Writers Associations
Directory of Associations & Organizations
Professional Associations for Writers
Articles for Writers:
Creative Writer's Block - 5 Reasons Why Writer's Block is Not a Terminal Condition by Dan Goodwin
71 Ways for a Writer to Make Money by Julia Tang
Preparing the Writer's Portfolio by Theresa Wilson
When Does an Amateur Writer Become a Real or Professional Writer? by Lance Winslow
Copyright Resources for Writers:
Register Your Literary Work
NOLO's Copyright Resource Center
Happy Anniversary TradeMark Express Blog!
On June 2, 2007 we celebrated our blog's 1 year anniversary!
Blog, we've had a roller coaster of a ride but have persevered through it all. Here's to many more years of talking trademarks. *clinks internet glasses*
One of the reasons I missed the actual anniversary date is that we've been busy bees over at TradeMark Express. While our blog's a mere baby, TradeMark Express has been getting trademarks for our clients since 1992.
Keeping up during our busy times can be daunting but this blog is an important facet of what we offer to clients. The actual work is paramount, of course, but making sure clients feel as well informed as possible is so important. It's one thing to help clients get their trademarks; it's a completely better thing to help our clients get their trademarks AND to share our knowledge of what's what.
To commemorate our blog's anniversary, I'd like to offer our readers a $100 discount on our trademark package. Let's celebrate all month long, shall we? Just make sure you mention the blog when ordering. Offer good until Sunday, June 30, 2007.
Happy One Year!
Tee Hee
Talking to new business owners every day really shows me how alive the creative spirit (as well as funny bones) is in the business world. Checking out new trademark listings accomplishes this too.
Here's just a smidgen of the 1100+ that were filed on June 1st of this year:
Serial Number 77196095, Listen to Your Vegetables & Eat Your Parents - for infant clothing
Check out the logo too. Those are some warped vegetables.
Serial Number 76677705, Hangovers Sports Bar & Grill - for clothing
Shhh, not so loud.
Serial Number 77195398, You Deserve Cupcakes - for baked goods
I couldn't agree more. Everyone deserves cupcakes.
Extra! Extra! Read All About It
Here's what's going on in the intellectual property world:
Trademarks
Vista Trademark Holder Sues Microsoft
USPTO Celebrates a Decade of Telework
Want an Idea of how Many Trademarks are filed in ONE DAY?
Here's the top 40 trademark filings of 158 that were filed on May 30th of this year
Patents
Administration Seeks Overhaul of Patent System
Microsoft & Xandros in New Patent Spat
Winners of 2007 Modern Marvels Invent Now® Challenge on Exhibit at the USPTO
Copyrights
Copyright Class Action Suit against YouTube/Google Gains Significant Support...
Jail Time Isn't Paris Hilton's Only Problem These Days
Copyright Office looking for Beta Testers - save $10 if accepted
Sites for Musicians
Since Wednesdays are Copyright days, I thought I'd spend some time compiling handy-dandy sites for artists of all types. Let's start with musicians…
What kind of musician are you?
"Musicians.Net offers free musicians classifieds, LIVE Internet radio, promotional tools and resources for independent artists and local musicians"
"Searchable database of musicians for hire. Includes bands, contract musicians, music schools and teachers. Free registration for musicians."
Musician Associations:
Recording Musicians Association
American Federation of Musicians
Berklee College of Music LARGE listing of associations
Articles for Musicians:
What Makes a Great Musician? by Ermias Kebede
How to Improve Your Employment Prospects as a Musician by Mantius Cazaubon Music Career Success: 5 Ways to Thrive as a Musician Today by Peter Spellman
That's Not So Groovy, Man
This has got to be one of, if not, the most unusual trademark lawsuit I've ever heard of - well-known chocolate maker, Hershey ® is suing a California marijuana dealer. Read about it here.
TradeMark Express Blog: Schedule for Posts
Monday: Trademark Related Issues* Tips, hints, news, questions
Tuesday: Small/New Business Related Issues
* Tips, hints, news, questions
Wednesday: Copyright/Arts Related Issues
* Tips, hints, news, questions
Thursday: Reader's Day!
* Want a post about something specific? Have questions? Email me at shannon@tmexpress.com & I'll make a post just for you. When emailing, be sure to mention the TME Blog in the subject line
Friday: Free Day aka Fun Day
* Open ended day for anything related to any of the above and/or anything in the general vein of silly
News on the Intellectual Property Front
TRADEMARK:Newport officials trademark phrase for marketing
Academy files trademark lawsuit against Oscarwatch.com
Trademark holder sues video store over Ninja Turtles mural
COPYRIGHT:
Americans Try to Influence Canadian Copyright Policies, Again
Should Copyright Be Abolished?
Supporting Open Source While Opposing Copyright
PATENT:
Amazon.com and IBM Settle Patent Lawsuits
Patent envisions landline phones displaying targeted ads
Former US President Clinton backs Thailand in patent battle
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