Intel takes on disc jockeyThe Inquirer reports that Intel is suing a disc jockey who trades under the name Intell Entertainment and, on occasion, Intell by itself. The action, filed before the New York District Court, alleges that the disc jockey has diluted the INTEL mark.
The IPKat finds himself torn by this. He suspects that the intention of the disc jockey was to trade on the INTEL name, or at least its distinctiveness (not that taking unfair advantage of an earlier mark is actionable under US federal trade mark law). At the same time, he notes the similarity between the INTEL mark and the term ‘intelligent’.
US to take TRIPs action against China?
Bloomberg reports that the US may bring WTO action against China this month for failure to comply with the TRIPs Agreement. The action is expected to focus on standards requiring criminal prosecutions and transparency of rules. This marks a departure from the previous expected approach, which was to focus on the volume of pirated material available in China. Evidence of the volume of such material has proved difficult to find. The US Administration has been working closely with the copyright-owning industries, but a number of companies do not favour such action because they fear it will harm commercial relations with China.
The IPKat waits with interest to see what will happen.