Amazon nets patent for mini police drones; SeattlePI.com, 10/28/16

Daniel Demay, SeattlePI.com; Amazon nets patent for mini police drones:

"Forget police body cameras, Amazon was just granted a patent for miniature police shoulder drones.

Amazon Technologies, Inc. was granted a patent Oct. 18 for a device it called an “unmanned aerial vehicle assistant,” aimed at use by police for everything from monitoring situations to finding lost children at the fair.

The miniature drone, shown in patent filing drawings perched on a police officer’s shoulder above their clip-on radio microphone (and only just as wide as the mic), would be voice activated and could detect “distress” commands, among other things, essentially providing a second set of ears and eyes not just for the officer on the ground, but for a central system monitoring data coming from the drone...

The devices, if put into wide use, would no doubt raise new questions about police use of technology, said Shankar Narayan, technology and liberty project director for the America Civil Liberties Union in Seattle. Because the drones would be so small, they might be able to operate in discreet ways, collecting information without the subjects ever being aware, he noted."

Sorry, Trump. Someone Else Just Got Dibs on the Trump TV Trademark; Fortune, 10/27/16

Tory Newmyer, Fortune; Sorry, Trump. Someone Else Just Got Dibs on the Trump TV Trademark:

"Trump could almost certainly secure the trademark if he wants it. For one, Grabowsky’s declaration that he has no intention of using it will likely prompt the trademark office to decide against awarding it to him, according to Ann Ford, chair of the U.S. trademark, copyright and media practice at DLA Piper. And Trump’s fame gives him another advantage in locking down a trademark with his name on it. “Fame gives you a kind of superpower as a trademark,” Ford says.

But it could take a while...

Over the years, Trump has trademarked a dizzying array of products and events with his name on them, many since failed or abandoned: Donald J. Trump, the Fragrance; Trump Vodka; Trump Power and Trump Fire (both non-alcoholic beverages); Purely Trump and Trump Ice (both bottled waters); Trump Steaks; Trump Style (a lifestyle magazine); Trump Steaks; Trump Shuttle; Trumpnet; and Oysters Trump. And in 1991, he managed to grab a trademark for “Central Park,” which he’s since slapped on everything from parking garages to pillows.

The campaign itself has presented its own branding opportunities. Trump applied to lock down the trademark for his now-signature “Make America Great Again” slogan way back in November 2012, days after Obama won a second term. And he’s kept an eye out since launching his bid. After Texas Sen. Ted Cruz accused him of throwing a “Trumpertantrum” when he finished second in the Iowa caucuses earlier this year, Trump mused about trademarking the term—“before he does.”"

Chicago Cubs Counter Trademark Filings During World Series; 10/24/16

Darren Heitner, Forbes; Chicago Cubs Counter Trademark Filings During World Series:

"The Chicago Cubs have made it to the World Series for the first time since 1945 and the franchise is doing everything in its power to completely commercially exploit the opportunity. In September, the Cubs sued known vendors who were selling unlicensed goods. Now, the Cubs are filing actions through the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) to prevent third parties from registering trademarks that may be likely to be confused with the marks popularized by the baseball team."

The Importance of Intellectual Property to the U.S. Economy; Inside Counsel, 10/27/16

Amanda Ciccatelli, Inside Counsel; The Importance of Intellectual Property to the U.S. Economy:

"...[T]he U.S. Department of Commerce recently released a report that finds that intellectual property (IP)-intensive industries support at least 45 million U.S. jobs (about 30 percent of all the jobs in the country) and contribute over $6 trillion to, or 38.2 percent of, U.S. GDP. While IP is used in every segment of the economy, there are 81 industries that use patent, copyright, or trademark protections extensively.

Mauricio Uribe, partner at Knobbe Martens and Chris Eusebi, principal at Harness Dickey, sat down with Inside Counsel to discuss what top IP-focused law firms are seeing in terms of growth in specific industries and types of IP.

“There may be a limited number of organizations whose main function is to buy, sell, or license IP and in such create an IP industry,” Uribe explained. “However, other than this specific niche, we wouldn’t consider IP as an industry in itself. Rather, it is easier to consider IP as a factor that impacts almost every industry in some manner.”

Over the past five years, IP has supported close to 30 million jobs, representing almost a one percent increase in the number of jobs since 2010.

“In an economy where every job is important, innovation and intellectual property protections represent some of the most significant protections for American jobs and Internal Rate of Return for corporate business units,” said Eusebi.

Total employment supported by the IP-intensive industries, which are the jobs in patent, trademark, copyright, or IP-intensive industries plus supply-chain jobs equals over 45 million jobs in the U.S. economy. “These jobs clearly represent exports to the world economy that represent the inflow of capital into the U.S.”

“Lately, trademark protection represents a large percentage of licensing revenue. For sole employment, which represents a large percentage of the U.S. work force, copyrights effect over 15 percent of the workforce. While the number of jobs protected due to patent protection appears to have been reduced since 2000, these high paying jobs, mostly in manufacturing, are as important as ever,” said Eusebi."

Lawrenceville’s Arsenal Cider House Trademark Challenged By European Soccer Club; KDKA.com, 10/27/16

KDKA.com; Lawrenceville’s Arsenal Cider House Trademark Challenged By European Soccer Club:

"Arsenal Cider House shares part of its name with the Arsenal Football Club in the United Kingdom.

It’s one of the most popular professional soccer teams in the world.

When Arsenal Cider House filed for a trademark application, lawyers with the football club tried to stop them."

Maria Pallante's Departure From the Copyright Office: What It Means, And Why It Matters; Billboard, 10/25/16

Robert Levine, Billboard; Maria Pallante's Departure From the Copyright Office: What It Means, And Why It Matters:

"Although Hayden spoke about the importance of copyright during her confirmation hearings, she is perceived to favor looser copyright laws, since she previously served as president of the American Library Association, an organization that lobbies for greater public access to creative works, sometimes as the expense of creators. The Obama Administration also has close ties to technology companies, which would like to see a Copyright Office that values fair use and other exceptions to copyright over the rights of creators and copyright owners.

Hillary Clinton is thought to be view copyright more favorably, but she hasn’t said much about the topic, and she initially addressed it in her “Initiative on Technology & Innovation” -- not an encouraging sign for creators. Donald Trump doesn’t appear to have said much about the topic."

USPTO pushes trademark message at National Expo; exhibitors call for more public outreach efforts; World Trademark Review, 10/24/16

Tim Lince, World Trademark Review; USPTO pushes trademark message at National Expo; exhibitors call for more public outreach efforts:

"To appeal to the many youngsters attending, there were trademark-themed colouring books, a scavenger hunt and familiar costumed characters walking around the venue (including Crayola crayons, a Hershey’s Kiss, Fruit of the Loom characters and the USPTO’s own mascot, T-Markey). One of the events objectives, Denison told us after the opening ceremony, is to show attendees, especially those visiting on field trips, that “trademarks are fun” and not just a dry legal necessity, adding: “One of the reasons that the Expo is aimed at children is to get them thinking about trademarks at 10 years old, rather than when they're 35 years old and they've already started a business.” One of the exhibitors, Meghan Donohoe, COO at the AIPLA, told us that the strategy to inspire young people appeared to be working. “All the kids were wearing Under Armour, so it was interesting to see kids connect the dots when they realise the brand that they are wearing is trademarked,” she notes."