The decision by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) in Carolina Herrera, Ltd v. Lacoste ([2014] SGIPOS 3 (Feb. 20, 2014)) shows that the Registry may not be exceedingly enthusiastic about allowing a trademark proprietor to claim exclusive rights over a common element in a family or series of marks by virtue of the […]
Singapore: Landmark Decision on Determining Statutory Damages
In Converse Inc. v. Ramesh Ramchandani et al., Converse had elected to request an award of statutory damages after an interlocutory judgment had found Mr. Ramchandani liable for infringing Converse’s high-cut Chuck Taylor All Star canvas shoes. Accordingly, the High Court of Singapore was given the unfamiliar task of assessing the amount of statutory damages […]
Indonesia – Foreign Beverage Manufacturer Prevails!
Multi Access Limited (“Multi Access”) recently succeeded in their claim to cancel the trademark registrations of a local entrepreneur, Dhalim Soekodanu (“Dhalim”), on the ground of bad faith, pursuant to Trademark Law No. 15 of 2001, Article 4. Multi Access is the owner of numerous trademark registrations for “王老吉” which is pronounced as WONG LO […]
Singapore - Patents as Collateral for Companies
Patents were first used as collateral to secure financing by Thomas Edison in the late 1880s. Edison used his patent for the incandescent electric light bulb as collateral to secure financing to start his company, the General Electric Company. Since Edison’s use of his patents as collateral, intellectual property has been used as collateral in […]
Philippines – Building Facade Not Registrable as Trademark
In 2009, Fun Ranch Mega Development, Inc. (Fun Ranch) filed several trademark applications for a Facade of a Building for use on children’s entertainment and amusement center. The applications were rejected by the Examiner on the ground that the mark may not be registered because it does not function as a trademark and is not […]
Increase in Official Fees for Patents in India
The Government of India, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion) has published the Patent (Amendment) Rules, 2014 on 28 February 2014. The amendments are effective from the date of publication. The salient aspects of the amended rules include: Applicant: Introduction of a third category of applicant for patent in the […]
Philippines: New Trademark Rules Welcomed
In April, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) issued a series of office orders amending various trademark rules involving the Declaration of Actual Use (DAU) and (Paris) Convention priority applications. Declaration of Actual Use The requirement to file a third-year and a fifth-year DAU will also apply to international registrations designating the Philippines. […]
Enforcement Powers Granted to Director General of Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines
President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, Jr recently signed into law amendments to Republic Act No. 8293, the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (IP Code). The amendments are embodied in Republic Act No. 10372, which will take effect on March 22, 2013. The recent changes to the IP Code were crafted to step up the government’s […]
Vietnam Government Tightens Domain Name Protection
The Vietnamese Government, through the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) has issued a Circular (No: 37/2011/TT-BKHCN) which provides detailed guidance for the implementation of Decree No 97/2010/ND-CP on sanctions for administrative violations of industrial property rights. The Circular came in to effect on 11 February 2012. Among other significant changes, the Circular introduces a […]
Singapore Strengthens Its Patent System
1 2 3 4 5 (0 votes) Singapore Strengthens Its Patent System On July 10, 2012, the Singapore Parliament passed the Patent (Amendment) Bill and the Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill geared towards strengthening and enhancing Singapore’s patent system in order to support the growing international patent capabilities, and developing Singapore as an Asian intellectual […]