Football: German Patent Office Website

Coming from Manchester I could not resist mentioning the special world cup website Fußball und Technik ("Football and Technology") that has just appeared on the German Patent and Trade Marks Office website. This ought to interest Sir Robin Jacob who is (or at least was) a keen football fan. I remember that Hayley French tried to present him with a Chelsea shirt after dinner at the AGM and conference of the Britain and Ireland branch of the LES (Licensing Executives Society) which took place at Chelsea Football Club when he was installed as honorary president (or patron) of the branch a year or so ago. Sir Robin thanked her very graciously but confessed he couldn't wear it because he supported another team.

The home page of the site asks "Football and technology - how do they go together?" On the introduction ("Einfuhrung") page there is an explanation as to what this site site is about, what is inside it and developments. On the technology ("Technik") page there is a menu leading to the history of the game, football, football field and so on. Finally on the documents ("Dokumente") there are links to the specifications of every single patent and patent application of every single aspect of the game starting with the ball itself and continuing to the stadium technology. Finally, there is an "Allgemeines" page with contacts, links and sources and vocabulary.

I am afraid the site is only in German at present and as many of you will have guessed my German is pretty rusty as it is a very long term since I was at secondary school. But I do know of a solicitor at the Dundee office of Blackadders with a first in the subject from Scotland's finest university. She reads this blog occasionally and she may well be able to assist those who wish to enquire further.

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