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Showing posts from 2018

The Supreme Court's Decision on Pregabalin

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The Pregabalin Molecule Author Vaccinationist Licence Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International Source Wikipedia Pregabalin Jane Lambert The Supreme Court (Lords Mance, Sumption, Reed, Hodge and Briggs)  Warner-Lambert Company LLC v Generics (UK) Ltd   )  [2018] UKSC 56 (118 4 Nov 2018) This was an appeal from the decision of the Court of Appeal in  Warner-Lambert Company LLC v Generics (UK) Ltd (t/a Mylan) and Others   [2016] EWCA Civ 1006 which I discussed in The Pregabalin Appeal: Generics v Warner-Lambert   17 Oct 2016. In that appeal, the Court of Appeal upheld the decision of Mr Justice Arnold in  Generics (UK) Ltd (t/a Mylan) v Warner-Lambert Company LLC       [2016] RPC 3, [2015] EWHC 2548 (Pat), [2015] CN 1499 which I blogged in The Pregabalin Trial: Generics (UK) Ltd v Warner-Lambert Company LLC   18 Sept 2015 and his refusal to allow the patent to be amended in  Generics (UK) Ltd (t/a Mylan) v Warner-Lambert Company LLC  [2016] R

Tasty - Levola Hengelo BV v Smilde Foods BV

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The Countryside of Gelderland Author Janneman Licence Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 unported Source Wikipedia Gelderland Jane Lambert Court of Justice of the European Union ( K. Lenaerts, President, R. Silva de Lapuerta, Vice-President, J.-C. Bonichot, A. Arabadjiev, M. Vilaras (Rapporteur), E. Regan, T. von Danwitz and C. Toader, Presidents of Chamber, A. Rosas, E. Juhász, M. Ilešič, M. Safjan, C.G. Fernlund, C. Vajda and S. Rodin, Judges)    C-310/17 ,  Levola Hengelo BV v Smilde Foods BV  ECLI:EU:C:2018:899, [2018] EUECJ C-310/17, EU:C:2018:899 (13 Nov 2018) This is one of the most remarkable cases that I have ever read.   It is important because it greatly increases the range of creations in which copyright can subsist.   I first thought it was a bit of a joke because that is how it was presented in the press (see  Food taste 'not protected by copyright' rules EU court   13 Nov 2018 BBC website).  Now I see its potential for all the creative i

Patents - Coloplast AS v MacGregor Healthcare Ltd

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The Rolls Building Author Basher Eyre Licence Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic Source Wikipedia Rolls Building Jane Lambert Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (HH Judge Hacon)  Coloplast AS v MacGregor Healthcare Ltd [2018] EWHC 2797 (IPEC) (24 Oct 2018) This was a claim  by the Danish company, Coloplast AS , against MacGregor Healthcare Ltd for damages and other relief for the alleged infringement of European Patent (UK) No. 1 145 729 . The defendant, MacGregor, counterclaimed for the patent to be declared invalid on grounds of anticipation, obviousness and insufficiency. The action and counterclaim came before His Honour Judge Hacon on 10 and 11 July 2018.  The judge dismissed the claim.  He found that the patent was invalid for want of an inventive step and insufficiency but added at para [159] of his judgment that had the patent been valid he would have held it to have been infringed. The Invention The invention for which

Patents and Self-Driving Vehicles

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Tesla Model S Author Paul Sableman Licence Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 generic Source Wikipedia Jane Lambert Yesterday I attended the eCommerce Show North  at EventCity Manchester.  One of the exhibitors was Tesla Inc.  Two of the company's cars were on display and I took a peek inside one of them.  The car had a steering wheel and many of the instruments that would be expected on any other car but I could find only one pedal and there was a large screen displaying the locations of the nearest charging points. At first, I was surprised to find a luxury car manufacturer among the developers, fintech,  marketing and social media consultancies, private equity and business angel investors but then I realized that logistics are essential to electronic commerce. Goods purchased over the internet have to be delivered. The optimum means of delivery are autonomous electric vehicles. Those are the things that Tesla develops and manufacturers.  Not just moto

The Court of Appeal considers FRAND: Unwired Planet v Huawei

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Author Ryry17354 Licence Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 4.0 unoirted Source Wikipeoda Jane Lambert Court of Appeal (Lord Kitchin, Lord Justice Floyd and Lady Justice Asplin)  Unwired Planet International Ltd  and Another v Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and Another [2018] EWCA Civ 2344 (23 Oct 2018) FRAND stands for "fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory".   It is an acronym to describe the terms upon which licences should be granted for standard essential patents ( "SEPs" ).   SEPs are patents for inventions that are crucial for compliance with a technical standard.   I attempted an introduction to FRAND terms and SEPs in FRAND   on 8 Oct 2017. Lord Kitchin gave a much better one in the first five paragraphs of his judgment in  Unwired Planet International Ltd and Another v Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and Another [2018] EWCA Civ 2344 (23 Oct 2018). Unwired Planet In FRAND I discussed Mr Justice Birss's decision in Unwi

IP after Brexit: The Government's Guidance

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Author: S Solberg J Licence Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 unported Source Wikipedia Jane Lambert Ever since the referendum and indeed before it I have tried to anticipate the legal protection for brands , designs , technology  and creativity  if and when the United Kingdom leaves the European Union (see Were we to go - what would Brexit mean for IP?   26 Feb 2016, What Sort of IP Framework do we need after Brexit and what are we likely to get?   3 July 2016  and IP Planning for Brexit 7 Dec 2018).  Much will depend on the terms upon which we leave the EU and our relationship after departure. Since the 23 Aug 2018 the government has published guidance on  How to prepare if the UK leaves the EU with no deal .  That guidance covers everything from Applying for EU Funded Programmes to Workplace Rights.  I commented about it in And if there is no deal ..................   24 Aug 2018 NIPC Brexit,  Topics include patents, copyrights, trade marks and designs, ge

Trade Marks - Argos Ltd v Argos Systems Inc.

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Royal Courts of Justice Author Anthony M Licence Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 generic Source Wikimedia Jane Lambert Court of Appeal (Lord Kitchin, Lord Justice Floyd and Sir Colin Rimer) Argos Ltd. v Argos Systems Inc.   [2018] EWCA Civ 2211 (9 Oct 208) "Can a US corporation selling construction software only in the Americas under the name ARGOS be sued for infringement of a registered trade mark by a UK based consumer goods retailer who trades mainly in the UK and Ireland under the same name?" asked Lord Justice Floyd at paragraph [1] of the Court of Appeal's judgment in  Argos Ltd v Argos Systems Inc [2018] EWCA Civ 2211 (09 October 2018).  His lordship added: "That the question even arises for serious consideration is a consequence of the developments in the European law of trade marks and of the revolution in commerce and advertising brought about by the internet." The Parties The "UK based consumer goods retailer&q