Trademark Infringement

and
IP Management

By
Kalyan C. Kankanala,
Brain League IP Services.

© 2009 Brain League IP Services Pvt. Ltd.

 Registration
• Preliminary search
• Filing
• Examination
• Objections
• Re-examination
• Acceptance
• Publication
• Opposition
• Grant
 Trademark Infringement
• Prior use of the trademark in commerce
• Likelihood of confusion
 Likelihood of confusion
Factors
1. Strength of the mark
Distinctiveness
Famousness
2. Similarity of marks in sight, sound and meaning
3. Similarity of goods and services sold under the Marks
4. Similarity of the distribution channels or customers
5. Sophistication of the purchasers and expense of the product or service
6. Similarity of means and methods of advertising or promotion
7. Defendant's intention
8. Evidence of actual confusion
 Remedies
• Injunction
• Damages
• Attorney fees
 Defenses
• Generic mark
• Third party uses of similar marks

Equitable defenses

• Laches
• Acquiescence
• Geographic remoteness
 Related actions
• Trade Dress
• Counterfeiting
• Trademark Dilution
Tarnishment
Blurring
 Trademark Dilution
• Inherent or Acquired distinctiveness
• Duration and extent of use
• Duration and extent of advertising
• Geographical extent of the trading area
• Channels of trade
• Recognition of the mark
• Nature and extent of use of the same or similar marks
• Registration
 Other Actions
• Cyber Squatting
• Passing off
 Passing off
• Reputation or good will
• Misrepresentation
• Likelihood of confusion or Deception
• Damage
 Rediff v. Radiff
• Deceptively similar
• Same services
• Shopping
• Cricket scores
• Held as passing off
• Deceptive
 Akash v. Yahoo
• Yahoo India
• Intention to deceive
• Injunction granted
• Liable for passing off
 Microsoft case
• Microsoft.org
• Held liable
• Deceptive intent
IP Management
 IP Policy and Process
• Overall goal
• In tune with business goal
• Mechanisms
• Processes
 Protection and Maintenance
• Steps
• Roles
• Renewals
 Commercialization
• Self exploitation
• Licensing
• Assignment
• Pools
• Blocking
• Open source
 Litigation
• Invalidity
• Declaration
• Infringement
Thank you.