• Whither goest the patent troll?

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2021/12/whither-goest-patent-troll.html A decade ago, patent trolls were all the rage in the patent world. Whether in speeches, conferences, or articles, no subject engendered more IP conversation. If there was a rock-star matter in the patent world, it was the debate over trolls. Since those heady days, this Kat has sensed... Continue reading

     
  • UK IPO launches call for views on Standard Essential Patents, innovation and competition

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2021/12/uk-ipo-launches-call-for-views-on.html Image: gov.uk As published today on gov.uk, the UK’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has launched a call for views on Standard Essential Patents (SEPs), intended to inform the position on whether the present framework requires change in order to best support innovation.  This is a highly topical issue, with... Continue reading

     
  • EPO user survey: ViCo oral proceedings continue (to divide opinion)

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2021/12/epo-user-survey-vico-oral-proceedings.html Following the decision of the EBA in G 1/21 on the legality of mandatory ViCo oral proceedings, the EPO has continued with ViCo proceedings before the Boards of Appeal. The EPO has also now released a report of the user survey of the opposition division (OD) ViCo pilot program. As with the EBA... Continue reading

     
  • Monday Miscellany

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2021/12/monday-miscellany.html We welcome December with some interesting IP events and opportunities to highlight! EVENTS ALAI Canada Conference “In conversation with William Patry” (9 December 2021) On December 9, 2021, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Montreal time), the new ALAI Canada Conference will be held on Zoom. The panel will... Continue reading

     
  • Hong Kong – Public Consultation on Updating Copyright Regime

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2021/12/hong-kong-public-consultation-on.html The Government of Hong Kong has released a public consultation paper on updating Hong Kong’s copyright regime on 24 November 2021.  Members of the public are invited to provide their views by 23 February 2022.  Basic Background to the Existing Copyright Regime To those who are not familiar with... Continue reading

     
  • Around the IP Blogs

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2021/12/around-ip-blogs.html December is finally here and now part of our focus (and mostly our fears) have shifted to Secret Santa gifts. While looking for a suitable present for your fellow co-workers or distant relatives, take a moment to check what happened on the other IP blogs last week. Copyright This... Continue reading

     
  • Adele, Spotify and the right of integrity

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2021/12/adele-spotify-and-right-of-integrity.html A few days ago, Adele released her new studio album “30“. Following the news, a tweet went viral in which the singer called on streaming platform Spotify to disable the feature known as “shuffle” on her freshly released album. This feature allows users to listen to songs from an album, playlist... Continue reading

     
  • Copyright (Rights and Remuneration of Musicians, Etc.) Bill debated in UK Parliament

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2021/12/copyright-rights-and-remuneration-of.html As previously discussed, the Copyright (Rights and Remuneration of Musicians, Etc.) Bill proposed new laws for equitable remuneration for streaming, contract adjustment, right of revocation and transparency. The Bill was debated in the UK Parliament on Friday 3rd December. Here’s what happened [aside from a whole load of completely... Continue reading

     
  • A Tale of Two Ports? GC holds PORTWO GIN to be an exploitation of PDO

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2021/11/a-tale-of-two-ports-gc-holds-portwo-gin.html Kat friend, Becky Knott, promises that she doesn’t just write about alcohol, see here, but a recent decision involving the Protected Designation of Origin for ‘Porto’ caught her eye (palate?). Protected Designation of Origins (PDOs) seem to invariably raise interesting issues, and the recent decision of the General Court... Continue reading

     
  • Book Review: Handbook of Intellectual Property Research [Part 2]

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2021/11/book-review-handbook-of-intellectual_29.html This Kat continues her review of the “Handbook of Intellectual Property Research” (ed. by I. Calboli and M. Montagnani, OUP, 912 pp.), published recently in open access (review of Parts I and II, here). After discussing traditional legal methods in Parts I and II, the second half of the... Continue reading