TTAB Reverses Refusal To Register Starbucks' Green Circle On White Cup, But Green Circle Alone Lacks Acquired Distinctiveness

The Federal Circuit vacated a preliminary injunction in a patent infringement case involving electrical outlet cover products, finding that the district court made critical errors in its claim construction analysis. The appellate court determined that the lower court improperly imposed unsupported limitations on key patent terms and incorrectly applied a presumption of irreparable harm.

A federal district court in Idaho denied McCain Foods' post-trial motions in a design patent dispute over French fry shapes, upholding a jury verdict that found McCain's "Twisted Potato" willfully infringed Simplot's design patent. The decision reinforces critical procedural requirements for Rule 50 motions and clarifies standards for proving design patent infringement through photographs and marketing materials.

In VDPP, LLC v. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., the Federal Circuit addressed whether a non-practicing entity that licenses its patent through settlement agreements must ensure those licensees comply with patent marking requirements under 35 U.S.C. § 287(a). The court's ruling clarifies that patent owners cannot avoid marking obligations simply because they don't manufacture products themselves...

The Seventh Circuit's 2024 decision in Motorola Solutions v. Hytera Communications established that the Defend Trade Secrets Act can reach conduct outside the United States and permit recovery of damages based on worldwide sales. District courts have begun applying this precedent, expanding the potential scope of liability for cross-border trade secret disputes. The ruling raises important questions about how minimal a US connection may be before federal trade secret protection no longer applies.

Director Squires issued written opinions in two recent PTAB proceedings examining critical threshold questions about prior art qualification. One case explored whether sufficient evidence supported an earlier invention date to antedate prior art, while the other determined if a reference was publicly accessible before the patent's priority date.

Recent trade secret case law reveals critical standards for proving misappropriation, from the Ninth Circuit's reversal of a $57 million judgment over incorrect jury instructions on the "not readily ascertainable" element, to the Eighth Circuit's requirements for adequate trade secret identification. Courts continue to refine extraterritorial application of the DTSA and standards for demonstrating actual use of allegedly misappropriated information.

Hermione Thompson and John Leeming are partners and European and UK Patent Attorneys at J A Kemp.

As artificial intelligence reshapes corporate marketing, .ai domain names have become prime digital real estate worth millions. A recent WIPO ruling in a high-profile dispute between a combat sports brand and a domain investor reveals critical lessons about trademark rights, bad faith claims, and the limits of domain seizure policies in the booming AI domain market.

The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board recently affirmed that a specific shade of bright green (Pantone 2297C) cannot be registered as a trademark for construction tripod legs due to functionality concerns. The decision highlights the complex interplay between color marks, safety features, and competitive disadvantage in trademark law, examining how high-visibility colors serve essential purposes beyond source identification.

As entertainment lawyers, we are often asked a deceptively simple question by creatives, producers, and studios: “Can we use this trademark in our project?”