Intellectual Property Rights: Patents, Trademarks, and Copyright (PDF)

B24 IPL Trademarks TM Basics Trade Mark Basics **[Practical considerations pre-registration]** Registration process **[Opposition process]** Criteria: **[Absolute Grounds]** for Refusal Criteria: **[Relative Grounds]** for Refusal ▪ Section 8 ▪ Section 8(2) ▪ Section 8(2)(b) (most c...

B24 IPL Trademarks TM Basics Trade Mark Basics **[Practical considerations pre-registration]** Registration process **[Opposition process]** Criteria: **[Absolute Grounds]** for Refusal Criteria: **[Relative Grounds]** for Refusal ▪ Section 8 ▪ Section 8(2) ▪ Section 8(2)(b) (most common objection) Staywell Hospitality Group Pty Ltd v Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc and another and another appeal \[2014\] 1 SLR 911 ("Staywell") - three-stage test **[Exclusive rights]** **[s26 TMA]** - Exclusive Rights **[Advantages]** of TM registration Post-registration Challenges **[s23 read with s7 and s8 TMA - Invalidation]** **[s22(1)(b) - Revocation]** **[ Trade Mark Infringement]** Defences **[Copyright]** s8 CA - Subject matter protected by Copyright **[Criteria for protection]** Requirements: (1) fixation, (2) original; and (3) human author, (4) connecting factor **[Ownership of Copyright]** bundle of rights s133(1)(a) CA - First ownership rule Nature of the copyright Exclusive Rights s108 CA - Negate right to exclude others s41 to s50 CA - Right of **[Reproduction]** and the \'Substantiality rule\' Right of **[publication]** is not be confused with communication s114 CA - **[Duration]** of copyright = lifetime +70 years **[ Infringement and Exceptions]** Global Yellow Pages v Promedia Directories Pte Ltd \[2017\] SGCA 28 1\. Does copyright subsist? 2\. Has copyright prima facie been infringed? Identify the type of infringement: **[Is there a casual link between the plaintiff\'s work and the allegedly infringing work?]** s146 CA - **[Infringement by doing act]** comprised in copyright (I.e. primary infringement) RecordTV Pte Ltd v MediaCorp TV Singapore Pte Ltd and Ors \[2011\] 1 SLR 830 (CA) at \[50\] s 73 Infringement by **[\"commercial dealing]**\" 3\. Do any defences or exceptions apply? Exceptions s183 CA - Permitted use ▪ Must fulfil conditions: s 186(2), (3) s190 CA - **[Fair use]** s191(a) to (d) CA - non-exhaustive factors s154 CA - Limitation period after 6 years **[Patents]** Subtopic **[ What is a Patent]** **[ Criteria for obtaining a patent]** **[ Section 13(1) Patents Act]** \[1\] New (s 14) s14(10) PA - State of the Art Person skilled in the Art Key Concepts Assessment for \'New\' - 3 steps Exceptions \[2\] Involves an inventive step (s 15) Key Concepts \[3\] Capable of industrial application (s 16) \[4\] Section 25(4) Patents Act s25(4) PA - Sufficiency of disclosure **[Two-Step Test]** - First Currency Choice Pte Ltd \[2008\] 1 SLR(R) 335 at \[60\]-\[61\] **[BAR:]** s13(2) and (3) PA - Invention cannot be offensive, immoral or anti-social behavior **[ Practical Considerations]** Pre-filing considerations Disclosure of Invention Subtopic **[ Infringement]** What is the extent of the protection conferred by a patent grant? **[Or how should claims be construed in infringement? (s113 PA)]** **[Three]** approaches to Claim construction **[ Remedies, Defence and Counterclaim]** **[ Revocation - two ways]** **[ Remedies, Defence and Counterclaim]** **[ Statutory Damages]** Patents Act (PA): sections 67, 75, 76 Copyright Act (CA): section 305 Trade Marks Act (TMA): section 31 Section 31(5)-(6) TMA Factors are not the same under each Act **[Account of Profits]** derived from the infringing act - **[prevent double recovery - account of profits are mutual exclusive]** s305(1)(c) CA s305(2) CA - mutually exclusive s31(2)(c) TMA s31(4) TMA - mutually exclusive Defendant should file defence and counterclaim on the basis of invalidty Confidential Information ▪ Protection ▪ Breach and remedies