Why Did Apple Filed the First “iWatch” Trademark In Jamaica?

(By You Yunting) According to media reports, Apple Inc. (“Apple”) has filed for “iWatch” trademark in several countries and regions, including: Japan, Mexico, Russia and Taiwan. Searching the trademark database in mainland China and Taiwan, the author discovered that Apple filed its iWatch trademark in Taiwan in June 2013.As for the trademark application in mainland China, because it takes a longer period of time for trademark application to be recorded on China Trademark Office’s website, we could only check the information concerning applications made several months ago. Therefore, if Apple filed the application in early June, then we would have no way to confirm it right now. Furthermore, we have found no records regarding Apple’s iWatch trademark application in China. The following are information of Apple’s “iWatch” trademark application in Taiwan:

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China’s Most Recent Revision of Regulations Concerning Computers and Intellectual Property Rights

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(By Albert Chen) In January 2013, China’s State Council revised several administrative regulations regarding computers and intellectual property rights, specifically the Computer Software Protection Regulations, the Regulation on Protection of the Right to Network Dissemination of Information, the Implementing Regulations of the Copyright Law, and the Regulation on the Protection of New Varieties of Plants. These revisions mainly focus on the punishments for violation of regulations, and they came into effect on March 1, 2013.

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Tonghuashun VS. Wind and the Judgment Standards for Software Copyright Infringement in China

(By Luo Yanjie) Recently, Wind Information Co., Ltd (“Wind Info”), a well-known stock speculation software developer in mainland China, made an official announcement that it would sue its competitor Zhejiang Hexin Tonghuashun (300033) to seek RMB 99.22 million yuan in compensation. According to Wind’s spokesman, “more than ninety-nine percent of its software’s function has been copied by Tonghuashun without any changes, including data, organizational structure, column names, connection mode, index, function, text interpretation, parameters, interface, operation or transfer method, and etc.” At present, the ninety-nine percent figure claimed by the spokesman refers to the interface, operation, or transfer method and database. Even if this claim is true, it is still not certain that Tonghuashun has infringed because the judgment of infringement depends on comparison of the source code of both parties’ software. Today, we would like to share the following information on the protection of software copyrights:

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Analysis on Advantages and Disadvantage of Trademark Full-class Registration in China

By Albert Chen

We posted to discuss what classes shall DOTA like online game to register their trademarks several days ago. In a country like China where the infringement is not rare, it’s suggested to apply the trademark in relevant classes as many as possible, and today we would like to discuss the way to make the strategy on trademark and the advantages and disadvantages of the full-class registration of trademarks.

I. The full registration of trademarks is suggested for the current condition in China

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DOTA: Which Trademark Classes Shall Apply for Online Game in China?

By Albert Chen

By the local news report in China, at the settlement of the dispute between Blizzard and Valve on the DOTA trademark (Please CLICK HERE for our past post on it), a new battle over “DOTA” has begun. A local registered company in Shandong Province in East China recently lettered to online shopping website like Taobao.com, claiming it has full right to use the trademark of “DOTA” in class 25, which covering clothes, shoes and hats. Also, the company presented the certificate to the trademark right with the letter. Therefore, the company accused the websites the infringement for selling the clothes with DOTA marked on it. For the news, we retrieved the database of Trademark Office of PRC, and by the check, the trademark does belong to Wang Yongbao, the name indicated on the certificate, while it remains unknown through which methods does the company get the license to use the trademark from Wang. Meanwhile, it also comes to our attention that, in addition to Wang, the trademark of DOTA has been registered under other individuals or units’ name in different classes, involving Zheng Miao in Class6 and Ningbo Jiangbei District Dong Tai Clothing Co., Ltd., in Class 26, etc.

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Introduction to 3rd Revision Draft of China Copyright Law

On the beginning of April 2012, the National Copyright Administration of China (NCAC) released the exposure draft for revision of China Copyright Law (the “Draft”) accompanied with the interpretations on the draft. Today, we are going to introduce you the revision. (the image is the cover of China Copyright Law)

 (I) the works

(1) The original “cinematographic works” is revised to the “audiovisual works”, and the original “video recording” is deleted which will be protected as the audiovisual works;

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