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Massachusetts Intellectual Property Questions & Answers
2 Answers | Asked in Intellectual Property for Massachusetts on
Q: Can we use the term "battle bots" to describe remote control wooden "bots" that kids build at our makerspace?

Middle school kids learn engineering skills by building remote control "bots" that battle in an "arena" and have fun. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit and do not do TV shows or compete with BattleBots TV show. We are a STEM education center. Is it trademark infringement to adopt... View More

Marcos Garciaacosta
Marcos Garciaacosta
answered on May 26, 2021

I would recommend you don't

Very likely to run into problems

Consult with an attorney to evaluate your situation

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1 Answer | Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for Massachusetts on
Q: A photographer is claiming use of an image without permission and demanding copyright damages. What do we do?

N/A

Steve Charles Vondran
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Steve Charles Vondran pro label Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Jan 20, 2021

There are many "photo trolls" out there seeking thousands of dollars for use of a single image. There are many different things we consider in deciding what amounts are fair and proper under the copyright law. For example, some factors to think of are:

1. Is the photo...
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Q: Do I get a share of money if some patents that I co-invented when I was a student is now sub-licensed by a company

I was a Ph.D. student working with my professor at University. We together applied for two patents, which were approved in the U.S. and Europe. My professor later started a company and licensed these patents from the University. Recently on the news, a large company sub-licensed these patents again... View More

Peter D. Mlynek
Peter D. Mlynek
answered on Oct 15, 2020

Sorry, I wish I had better news, but you very likely are not entitled to any money from the patent.

Generally, when you are a Graduate Research Assistant, you are getting paid, either as a salary or in lieu of tuition, to do research. You were getting paid. As with any university in the...
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2 Answers | Asked in Intellectual Property, Trademark and Business Law for Massachusetts on
Q: I intend to register a trade mark.

l want to inquire about the possibility of registering a joint name i.e. "PETER and PAUL". I would like the use both names to label my product or would either use PETER or PAUL separately for the same category of product. Is this allow in U.S trademark law.

Evelyn Suero
Evelyn Suero
answered on Aug 5, 2020

Generally speaking, you may use the trademark you choose so long as it complies with trademark law, ie. it is not confusingly similar to another trademark in the same or related class/category or misleading, etc. However if you register a trademark, you should use that trademark with the spelling... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for Massachusetts on
Q: Can a vehicle be copyrighted as a work of art?

I designed the unique custom paint scheme for my car. Many publications take photos of custom vehicles then produce a product, magazine articles, for profit. Can a copyright protect me from someone else profiting off my labors?

John Brendan Riordan
John Brendan Riordan
answered on Jul 16, 2020

Absolutely! You can definitley protect your design. Imagine someone took a picture off a photographer's website and printed it on their vehicle; just because they used it on their car doesn't mean they haven't infringed on that copyright! The important part is that it's not the... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Copyright, Intellectual Property and Patents (Intellectual Property) for Massachusetts on
Q: hi, I had discovered a novel compound that shown an antifungal assay, this has never been reported, can i patent it?
Marcos Garciaacosta
Marcos Garciaacosta
answered on Apr 16, 2020

Depends

There are a lot of factors in play

Has that compound being used before for something?

Has it been in existence before?

Did it have other elements that can be considered generic? so that a previous compound may be used if minor changes are made

Is it...
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1 Answer | Asked in Copyright, Intellectual Property and Trademark for Massachusetts on
Q: Supreme logo copyright/ trademark question

Hello

I want to make t-shirts with the box logo, but without the word "supreme." I am making shirts with simular (looks exactly the same) font with the same red but it says "Winga." Is this illegal? I am also making shirts with other colors.

I tried to contact... View More

Marcos Garciaacosta
Marcos Garciaacosta
answered on Apr 16, 2020

We need more details so I can give you better guidance.

Check my website www.legalbizglobal.com

480 324 6378

It will depend on how similar the designs are.

If you are just printing supreme on your t-shirts for example, you may have an argument that it is a generic...
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1 Answer | Asked in Intellectual Property for Massachusetts on
Q: If prior art has same components but more than mine, different uses, can't work independently can that be argued?

Non final rejection. Can I answer changing type of attachment peices I use on my product . They are placed in the same area on prior art, but I only use 3,making it much easier to use. they use 8 components. My product serves a different purpose than theirs. Their product cannot work... View More

Marcos Garciaacosta
Marcos Garciaacosta
answered on Apr 14, 2020

Lots of questions in one posting.

You really need a consultation to assess your chances.

www.legalbizglobal.com

1 Answer | Asked in Intellectual Property for Massachusetts on
Q: Could I sell a product on Amazon US which is branded with an Australian company's name that is copyrighted in Australia?

I found a supplier for my product who is based in China, they have the mold of this product, but it is branded with the name of an Australian company who previously bought from this supplier. The Australian company has a copyright registered in Australia. Could I sell this product with their name... View More

Griffin Klema
Griffin Klema
answered on Dec 26, 2018

Maybe. Trademark rights are based on use, and if no one is using the mark in the US (either the Australian company or anyone else), then you might be able to sell the product or even acquire trademark rights to the name or logo. I suggest you read Person's v. Christman, 900 F.2d 1565 (Fed.... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Intellectual Property and Patents (Intellectual Property) for Massachusetts on
Q: Is there a way to get a patent issued if I failed to file within the year of getting a provisional patent?
Peter D. Mlynek
Peter D. Mlynek
answered on Dec 15, 2018

That is a very common question. Many times inventors get side-tracked, or funding dries up, or they simply forget.

The good news is that provisional patent applications are not published, so once the provisional patent application expires and is not used as a priority document, it is as if...
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2 Answers | Asked in Intellectual Property for Massachusetts on
Q: Is recycling damaged books, comic books and manga into household items copyright infringement if they're sold?

Hi, I'm curious if I re-purpose damaged comic books, manga books and books in general into household use items and sell them if it is intellectual property and/or copyright infringement? Would this be considered fair use of the original item or transformative use of the items since I am taking... View More

Griffin Klema
Griffin Klema
answered on Dec 5, 2018

It sounds like you have done some homework on this issue, which is great! It could be a transformative use. However, it really depends on how much you change the original copyrighted work into a new work. As for your second question about marketing your products, that is a separate issue that gets... View More

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Q: I am an online seller and received a letter in the mail from another company regarding an item that has a patent pending

I received a certified letter regarding a silicone pipe that I currently sell on many platforms including my own website. The company stated that they have a patent pending on it and that I have to: immediately stop marketing the product, remove the product from all selling platforms and send them... View More

Kevin E. Flynn
PREMIUM
Kevin E. Flynn
answered on May 16, 2018

This situation merits working with patent attorney to sort out the current status and possibly to intervene to help the Patent Office reject or at least narrow the claims.

As a preliminary step, you may want to check on the status of the pending application using USPTO Public PAIR....
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2 Answers | Asked in Intellectual Property and Patents (Intellectual Property) for Massachusetts on
Q: have any patents been filed in regard to the new lithium extraction process developed by John Burba?
Peter D. Mlynek
Peter D. Mlynek
answered on Apr 7, 2018

Yes, he has several dozen patents related to lithium, including extraction process from brine.

Some (but not necessarily all) of the patent applications that he is listed as an inventor are found in the following list:...
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1 Answer | Asked in Contracts, Copyright and Intellectual Property for Massachusetts on
Q: What is the usual fee or percentage given to the person who's intellectual property I'll be teaching?

I've trained as certified coach and I'm planning on teaching and certifying people in the same coaching in a different language. The person who certified me and I are creating a royalty, license agreement and I'd like to know what is the usual profit % or fee that is standard or... View More

Will Blackton
Will Blackton
answered on Mar 1, 2018

It depends!

What are you coaching?

From what language are you translating and to which language? That's an atypical piece of the puzzle.

What type of IP are you using?

How will you be reselling the IP?

The answers to those questions and more will...
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2 Answers | Asked in Intellectual Property and Patents (Intellectual Property) for Massachusetts on
Q: if there is a patent on a toy and we want to use the said toy as part of a game, do we need to obtain licenxing rights?

I look at it like taking a patent like dice and using it for a game. Is that legal in that case because the patent has long expired?

Peter D. Mlynek
Peter D. Mlynek
answered on Feb 23, 2018

If you want to sell a game that has a toy in it, and the toy is patented, then you would be infringing the patent. You can't get around a patent to a product by adding more stuff to the product.

You'll likely need to obtain a license, or buy the toy from the toy maker.

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2 Answers | Asked in Copyright, Internet Law and Intellectual Property for Massachusetts on
Q: Can I legally add the word 'fund' to the url for a website?

I am not a registered nonprofit or charity, but I help fundraise for one. Example: billsfund.org

Jonathan R. Roth
Jonathan R. Roth
answered on Jan 23, 2018

It could be considered a material misrepresentation unless there is an agreement in place that protects, you, the charity and the donor.

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1 Answer | Asked in Contracts and Intellectual Property for Massachusetts on
Q: I'm a songwriter. I write lyrics for a band. They want to have a formal contract where I get 10% of royalties. Fair?

They pay me a flat rate for each song, but now they are wanting to pay me 10% of the royalties they receive as well. Is this a fair deal?

Jonathan R. Roth
Jonathan R. Roth
answered on Dec 15, 2017

Fair is in the eye of the beholder. A lyricist who composes a song with someone else gets 50% of the royalty for the song, not the recording of the song. The royalty is split between the song writers and the publisher. If there is no publisher, then the song writers get the entire royalty. Now... View More

Q: Are you able to provide examples of cases related to faulty vehicle software? Ideally, open source software. Thank you!

Looking for examples of regulatory violations, recalls, class action, civil, or other cases related to software in vehicles. This could also include intellectual property cases associated with open source software. I'm keen to discover how much influence open source software has had, so far,... View More

Griffin Klema
Griffin Klema
answered on Sep 21, 2017

Google Scholar is a great resource for finding case law and scholarly articles that may give you the insight you are seeking. Otherwise find a local library (or law library) and seek assistance with at reference desk. A reference librarian can point you in the right direction to come up with... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for Massachusetts on
Q: Is it legal to sell a dice game based on a real copyrighted game for fake currency that has no real world value

I regularly attend a LARP in which we created a dice game that is based on Pirates Rollin' Bones (https://www.amazon.com/Pirates-Rollin-Bones-Dice-Game/dp/B004RL774A).

Our spin-off version has several significant differences (6 instead of 4 sided dice, different images, slightly... View More

Benton R Patterson III
Benton R Patterson III
answered on Aug 7, 2017

This is a difficult question to answer without studying the two games in detail because there are several aspects of a game that can be copyrighted. But, I can try to give a few pointers. Illustrations and the bone shaped pieces are protected by copyright. Basic game of chance concepts with dice... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Copyright, Intellectual Property and Libel & Slander for Massachusetts on
Q: Can a public domain image of a politician be used for a commercial product, or do personality rights come into play?

I'm curious if all the humorous political paraphernalia that includes an actual photo of a person is legal or not. (For example: Trump or Obama toilet paper)

Glenn B. Manishin
Glenn B. Manishin
answered on Jan 7, 2017

Copyright in images typically does not apply to parodies, and it is unlikely you can libel a famous person (a "public figure") with a political humor under the First Amendment and New York Times v. Sullivan unless your statement is presented as a fact and you have "actual... View More

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