New Acting Director for USPTO
IP veteran and litigator Coke Morgan Stewart sworn in 1 minute after Trump takes office BY GENE QUINN
Eye on Washington
Stay updated with “Eye on Washington,” bringing you the latest legal news and developments straight from the heart of policymaking. Courtesy of IP Watchdog, this section covers significant updates, legislative changes, and critical insights affecting intellectual property and innovation. Keep your finger on the pulse of Washington with our expert coverage.
Major Publishers Sue Google
Search engine accused of aiding infringement by promoting pirate sites, ignoring complaints BY EILEEN McDERMOTT
A Google ‘Bulldoze’?
Gemini Data, Inc., an AI software company, has sued Google, LLC in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California for trademark infringement, alleging that the rebranding of Google’s AI chatbot from BARD to GEMINI represents a “calculated decision to bulldoze over Gemini Data’s exclusive rights without hesitation.”
Action on Infringement
The Realizing Engineering, Science, and Technology Opportunities by Restoring Exclusive (RESTORE) Patent Rights Act of 2024 would essentially abrogate the 2006 Supreme Court ruling in eBay v. MercExchange, a case that many patent owners argue has played a key role in weakening the value of patents.
Patent, Trademark Backlog
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director Kathi Vidal published a director’s blog post July 11 addressing the office’s current backlog of patent and trademark applications, which the latest USPTO data show to be 785,387 unexamined applications/25.6 months total pendency for patents and 14.5 months total pendency for trademarks.
Uncertain Victory?
SCOTUS’ ruling came in its May 9 decision on Warner Chappell Music v. Nealy, a case that asks whether a copyright plaintiff can recover damages for acts that allegedly occurred more than three years before the filing of a lawsuit.
An ‘EFF’ for Honesty
Efforts by high-tech companies to undermine both the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act of 2023 and the Promoting and Respecting Economically Vital American Innovation Leadership Act ramped up in mid-March, via a joint letter sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee by a number of tech industry organizations and a campaign launched by the Electronic Frontier Foundation.