Microsoft settles 10 year competition fight with European
Commission...
Microsoft and the European commission have ended 10 years of
fighting with an agreement over Microsoft's alleged bundling of
its Internet Explorer browser software with its Windows operating
system. The Commission said that the bundling contravened European
competition law as it was an abuse of the software giant's
dominant position in the market for operating systems. Now,
Microsoft is willing to offer users a choice between different web
browsers when using Windows.
This was not the first fight between the two parties. In 2004,
following a long investigation, the Commission fined Microsoft
€497m for two competition law breaches. One was Microsoft
withholding vital information about the Windows operating system
from makers of server software, thereby gaining an unfair advantage
over them for its own server software products....
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We have recently reported on the long-awaited decision of the United States Supreme Court in Bilski, which amongst other things, upheld the "machine or transformation" test as an "important tool" in determining patentable subject matter
New Zealand is one of the few developed countries that retains a "local novelty" provision in its patents legislation. When assessing the patentability of an application, local novelty disregards any publication or use outside that particular jurisdiction. This, in theory, allows patent applicants to file in New Zealand after overseas publication, use, sale, or even the expiry of the 12-month Paris Convention period.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the district court’s ruling that the declaratory-judgment defendant’s registered design for an x-frame chair was functional and thus unprotectable.
In this article Finnegan partner, Lawrence R. Robins, analyzes Barclays Capital Inc. v. THEFLYONTHEWALL.COM decision and discusses the implications for newspapers in protecting the value of their newsgathering.
Opposer’s opposition to Applicant’s registration of the mark MITHRIL for jewelry was sustained by the TTAB on the ground that Applicant lacked a bona fide intent to use the mark in commerce.
Earlier today, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed the district court’s dismissal of the relator’s claims in Stauffer v. Brooks Bros., Inc., No. 2009-1428.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court’s grant of summary judgment to plaintiff on its claim that defendant’s eVISA mark used for a "multilingual education and information business" diluted plaintiff’s famous VISA mark for credit/debit-card services.
