U.S. Patent and Trademark Office News

OSHA Wins Trademark Battle Against Safety Consulting Firm’s Logo

A workplace safety consulting firm will stop using the OSHA acronym and a stylized logo similar to the federal government’s trademarked Occupational Safety and Health Administration acronym and logo under an agreement approved by a federal judge. The government sued …

University Opposes State’s Attempt to Trademark ‘Team Kentucky’

The University of Kentucky is opposing a move by the state to trademark the phrase “Team Kentucky” for use on clothing products. The university argued last week in a notice of opposition with a board in the United States Patent …

Supreme Court Will Decide Constitutionality of Patent Appeal Board Appointments

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to decide whether more than 100 technology disputes must be reheard because judges were unconstitutionally appointed to a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office tribunal in a case arising from a medical device patent …

Supreme Court Conservative Justices Raise Doubts About U.S. Patent Review Process

U.S. Supreme Court justices on Monday appeared divided over whether a federal agency’s in-house process for challenging patents violates the constitutional rights of patent owners, leaving the fate of a system that has led to a high rate of patent …

Supreme Court Finds Government Can’t Block Disparaging Trademarks

The U.S. Supreme Court said the federal government can’t constitutionally withhold legal protections for trademarks seen as disparaging, throwing out a 70-year-old provision as a free-speech violation. The ruling was unanimous, although the court splintered in its reasoning. The decision …

Supreme Court to Hear ‘Disparaging’ Trademark Case Similar to NFL’s Redskins’

The U.S. Supreme Court accepted a new case with implications for the Washington Redskins’ name controversy, agreeing to decide whether the federal government can withhold legal protections for trademarks it concludes are disparaging. The justices on Thursday said they’ll consider …

Washington Redskins, Disparaging Trademarks and Free Speech

The National Football League’s Washington Redskins lost some protection for its controversial name after a federal judge ruled it may be disparaging to Native Americans. The decision doesn’t bar the team’s commercial use of the trademarked name, but it opens …

CareRise Granted Third U.S. Patent for Nursing Facility Risk Management

The U.S. Patent Office has issued a third patent to Tim Goux, CEO of CareRise, a risk management company based in Mandeville, La. The patent further protects the company’s business method to reduce insurance claims and losses at healthcare facilities …

President Obama Issues Executive Orders to Curb ‘Patent Trolling’

President Barack Obama took steps on Tuesday intended to limit frivolous patent lawsuits, a practice referred to as “patent trolling.” Lawsuits brought by companies that do not make or sell anything but merely license patents and sue others for infringement …