Fighting the Crisis -- Intellectual Property will survive!

March 18, 2020
Categories: 
Brand, Trademarks, IP Rights, Innovation

Corona. Not just a beer, a cigar or a white halo during a solar eclipse, but also one of a group of viruses that infect humans and can be responsible for serious respiratory diseases. Corona viruses are not new which makes it unbelievable, how fast the latest mutation has become a threat to our economy on a global basis. But any crisis should not just be seen as an obstacle, but also as a chance to review, think, improve, find solutions and move forward.

Weiterlesen über Fighting the Crisis -- Intellectual Property will survive!

What do the symbols ™ and ® mean?

January 15, 2011
Categories: 
FAQ
Tags: 
FAQ, Law, Registration, Trademarks

™  is the abbreviation of „Trademark“;

®  is the abbreviation of „Registered“

In Germany those symbols do not constitute a trademark but a registration is required. The use of these symbols is though only permitted in relation to a registered trademark. Otherwise there is an infringement of Competition Law.

How do I get a Trademark?

January 15, 2011
Categories: 
FAQ
Tags: 
DPMA, FAQ, Law, OHIM, Registration, Trademarks, WIPO

A trademark is obtained in most countries via a registration (not mere use). The protection of a  trademark covers only the territory and the goods and services for which the trademark was registered.

On a territorial level there are different  possibilities:

-     Application and registration at the German Patent and Trademark Office (GPTO) in Munich for German trademarks (http://www.dpma.de/).  German trademarks can claim protection in Germany only

-     Application and Registration at the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM) in Alicante, Spain, for Community Trademarks (http://www.oami.eu/).  A Community Trademark or EU-Trademark covers all EU Member States (currently 27)

What is a Trademark?

January 15, 2011
Categories: 
FAQ
Tags: 
FAQ, Law, Trademarks

A trademark is a sign protected by law, serving to distinguish goods and services of one enterprise from those of another. Besides it implies the following functions of:

-  origin

-  communication

-  guarantee

There are different types of trademarks:
-  Expressions, letters or numbers  (wordmark),

-  A picture or logo (figurative mark), as well as the combination of words and pictures (word-design mark);

-  A color or a combination of colors (color mark);

-  Three-dimensional shapes (3-D-mark),

-  Radio-jingles or a combination of a melody (sound mark);

-  Slogans and even gestures (move mark)

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