Overview
一周概览
Focus
1. USPTO extends non-DOCX filing fee date to January 17, 2024
USPTO推迟非DOCX申请收费日期至2024年1月17日
2. EU antitrust watchdog raids synthetic turf companies
欧盟反垄断监管机构对人造草皮公司发起突袭调查
3. Sisvel signs SEP license agreement with Microsoft Under 5G Multimode Program
Sisvel与微软就5G多模项目达成标准必要专利许可协议
4. MediaTek says will defend itself in accusation over patent 'bounty' agreement
联发科回应瑞昱秘密“赏金”诉讼，称将在法庭上辩护
IP Practice
5. Apple prevails Optis in UK court, paying only $5 million per year to Optis
苹果在英国法院获胜，每年只需向Optis支付500万美元的SEP许可费
6. vivo exits the German market after Nokia enforces injunction
诺基亚执行禁令，vivo宣布退出德国市场！
7. DC Comics wins EU trademark dispute over Batman logo with Italian designer
DC Comics在与意大利设计师的“蝙蝠侠”欧盟商标纠纷中胜诉
8. BAK filed invalidation request against E-motor over 50M lithium battery patent
比克电池对亿马先锋锂电池专利发起二次无效挑战
Case Analysis
9. Moody's Quality Management Co., Ltd. v. Hangzhou Aiming Internet Co., Ltd.
涉“MOODY'S”网络域名不正当竞争纠纷案
Focus
1
USPTO extends non-DOCX filing fee date to January 17, 2024
USPTO推迟非DOCX申请收费日期至2024年1月17日
The USPTO is delaying the effective date of the non-DOCX filing fee from June 30, 2023 to the new date of January 17, 2024, according to the latest rule published on June 5 in the Federal Register. The non-DOCX format filing fee goes back to the USPTO’s notice of proposed rulemaking published in July 2019 regarding agency fee adjustments for the 2020 fiscal year. At that time, the agency proposed a $400 filing fee surcharge for most entities ($200 for small entity; $100 for micro entity) for non-DOCX patent application submissions.
根据美国专利商标局（USPTO）于6月5日在联邦公报上发布的最新规定，原定于2023年6月30日起生效的对非DOCX格式申请文件的收费，将再度推迟至2024年1月17日起生效。2019年7月，USPTO在关于2020财年代理费调整的建议规则制定中发布了非DOCX格式的申请费收费通知。当时，USTPO提议对大多数企业的非DOCX专利申请提交收取400美元的申请费附加费，小企业收费200美元，小微企业收费100美元。
2
EU antitrust watchdog raids synthetic turf companies
欧盟反垄断监管机构对人造草皮公司发起突袭调查
The European Union's antitrust watchdog said on Wednesday that it raided companies active in the synthetic turf industry in several EU countries, on concerns that they may be taking part in a cartel. The European Commission, which acts as the competition enforcer in the 27-country bloc, did not name the companies nor the countries. "The Commission has concerns that the inspected companies may have violated EU antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices," the European Commission said in a statement. Companies found guilty of breaching EU antitrust rules face fines up to 10% of their global turnover, according to the report.
欧盟反垄断监管机构周三表示，该机构突击调查了几个欧盟国家活跃在人造草皮行业的公司，担心它们可能会参与垄断。作为27个国家集团的竞争监管机构，欧盟委员会没有公布这些公司和国家的名称。欧盟委员会在一份声明中表示，担心受调查的公司可能违反了欧盟反垄断规定和限制性商业行为。据悉，违反欧盟反垄断规定的公司将面临高达其全球营业额10%的罚款。
3
Sisvel signs SEP license agreement with Microsoft Under 5G Multimode Program
Sisvel与微软就5G多模项目达成标准必要专利许可协议
Sisvel International announced on June 7 that Microsoft has entered into a patent license agreement for the Sisvel 5G Multimode (5G MM) Program. "We are delighted to welcome Microsoft as a licensee of the 5G MM Program. We believe this not only confirms our license offer to be fair and reasonable, but also underlines the merits of the patent portfolio of our partners. We trust that other implementers will soon follow Microsoft's example," says Donald Chan, the program manager of the Sisvel 5G MM Program. Sisvel 5G MM Program, which was launched last December, focuses on consumer electronics. Up to now, it included 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G SEPs owned by 15 patent owners.
6月7日，意大利专利运营公司Sisvel宣布，与微软公司就Sisvel 5G多模（5G MM）计划达成专利许可协议。Sisvel 5G 多模项目经理Donald Chan表示：“我们很高兴地欢迎微软成为5G MM计划的被许可方。我们相信，这不仅证实了我们的许可报价是公平合理的，而且也强调了我们合作伙伴的专利组合的优点。我们相信其他实施人很快就会效仿微软的做法。”Sisvel于2022年12月推出5G MM专利池，其许可计划专注于消费电子产品，目前包括15家许可人拥有的2G、3G、4G和5G标准必要专利（SEP）。
4
MediaTek says will defend itself in accusation over patent 'bounty' agreement
联发科回应瑞昱秘密“赏金”诉讼，称将在法庭上辩护
Taiwan's leading chip design company MediaTek Inc said on Thursday it will defend itself in court against accusations from Realtek that it paid a company that sues over patents a "secret litigation bounty" to file meritless lawsuits. Realtek Semiconductor Corp's lawsuit, lodged in California, accuses MediaTek of conspiring with IPValue Management Inc in an effort to drive Realtek out of the market and monopolise the industry for chips used in smart televisions. In a statement to the Taiwan stock exchange, MediaTek said it will submit evidence and defend itself against the accusations. It added that the litigation has no significant impact on the company.
中国台湾芯片设计公司联发科周四表示，针对瑞昱指控其向一家专利诉讼公司支付了秘密“赏金”，对瑞昱提起毫无价值的诉讼一事，联发科将在法庭上为自己辩护。本周二，瑞昱在加州提起诉讼，指控联发科与IPValue管理公司合谋，试图将瑞昱赶出市场，并垄断智能电视芯片行业。联发科在向台湾证券交易所提交的一份声明中表示，将提交证据并针对这些指控进行辩护。联发科补充称，该诉讼目前没有对其产生重大影响。
相关阅读：
瑞昱半导体诉联发科与PAE违反公平竞争，要求惩罚性赔偿及禁令
IP Practice
5
Apple prevails Optis in UK court, paying only $5 million per year to Optis
苹果在英国法院获胜，每年只需向Optis支付500万美元的SEP许可费
Apple has effectively prevailed over the Optis Wireless patent licensing firm in the High Court of Justice in UK, according to news published by Foss Patents on Thursday. Optis will receive only approximately $5 million per year from Apple for global standard-essential patent(SEP) license covering all Apple products, which suggests UK may not be one of the world's most attractive SEP enforcement destinations, Foss Patents got the progress from a reliable source. According to the report, the decision already came down on May 10, but has not been published by Thursday. Optis may appeal the decision as the license fee is far less than Optis demanded and expected.
据Foss Patents周四报道，苹果公司已经在英国高等法院有效地击败了Optis无线专利授权公司。Foss Patents从知情人士获悉，Optis将每年只能从苹果公司获得约500万美元的全球标准必要专利（SEP）许可费，改许可费覆盖了苹果的所有产品，这表明对于SEP持有人来说，英国可能并不是此前人们认为的最理想的诉讼地之一。据报道，该英国法院的裁决是在5月10日做出的，但截止本周四尚未公开。Optis有可能会提出上诉，因为该许可费用远低于Optis之前的要求和预期。
6
vivo exits the German market after Nokia enforces injunction
诺基亚执行禁令，vivo宣布退出德国市场！
Chinese smartphone maker vivo has exited the German market after losing a patent court case against Nokia, according to Foss Patents. It is reported that the company has made an announcement on its website, which reads "At this point, vivo products are unfortunately unavailable in Germany. Accordingly, no product information is available on our German website..." In April, the German District Court of Mannheim granted Nokia an injunction against vivo. vivo said then in an official statement that it is prepared to suspend its sales and marketing activities in Germany in the event Nokia would enforce the injunction. However, it is predicted by Foss Patents that chances are not big that vivo will accept Nokia's preferred licensing terms since "vivo generates only a tiny portion of its worldwide sales in Germany".
据Foss Patents 报道，与诺基亚的专利诉纠纷败诉后，vivo宣布已决定退出德国市场。vivo在其德国网站上发布了一份声明称“很不幸，vivo产品目前在德国无法出售。因此，在我们的德国网站上没有任何产品信息……”今年4月，德国曼海姆地区法院授予诺基亚针对vivod的禁令。vivo当时在一份官方声明中表示，如果诺基亚执行禁令，vivo准备暂停其在德国的销售和营销活动。不过据Foss Patents预测，vivo接受诺基亚许可条款的可能性并不大，因为“德国市场在vivo全球销售份额中占比很小”。
7
DC Comics wins EU trademark dispute over Batman logo with Italian designer
DC Comics在与意大利设计师的“蝙蝠侠”欧盟商标纠纷中胜诉
Warner Bros Discovery's DC Comics won a trademark fight with Italian clothing retailer Commerciale Italiana Srl on Wednesday. DC Comics, which registered the Batman logo with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) more than two decades ago, faced a challenge from the Italian in 2019. The Italian company had asked EUIPO to annul the trademark, saying that it lacked a distinctive character. After EUIPO rejected its application, the Italian company took its complaint to the EU General Court. Judges backed the EUIPO and ruled that the Batman logo is distinctive enough to warrant its EU trademark.
本周三，美国最大的电视电影公司华纳兄弟旗下DC漫画公司在与意大利服装零售商 Commerciale Italiana Srl的商标战中胜诉。DC漫画公司20多年前在欧盟知识产权局 （EUIPO）註册了“蝙蝠侠”商标。2019年，Commerciale Italiana Srl对该商标发起了无效挑战，称其缺乏显著性。在EUIPO驳回其申请后，Commerciale Italiana Srl 又在欧洲普通法院提起诉讼，本周，普通法院支持了EUIPO的决定，裁定“蝙蝠侠”商标足具显著性，可以注册欧盟商标。
8
BAK filed invalidation request against E-motor over 50M lithium battery patent
比克电池对亿马先锋锂电池专利发起二次无效挑战
Shenzhen-based BAK Battery Inc has filed for the second time an invalidation request against Beijing-based E-motor Inc over a lithium battery patent (patent number: ZL200610072849.5) at the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), according to the announcement published on the Administration’s Website. In October 2021, BAK filed an invalidation request over the same patent at CNIPA, but the IP office ruled in favour of E-motor and upheld the validity of the patent last year. E-motor lodged lawsuit against BAK previously, accusing the company of infringing the patent at the Beijing Intellectual Property Court. E-motor claimed over 50 million Yuan. It is reported that from the second half of 2019, IP-related lawsuits in the field of lithium battery have increased significantly.
6月6日，国家知识产权局公告显示，深圳比克电池公司已对北京亿马先锋汽车科技公司的一件专利号为ZL200610072849.5的锂电池专利发起了无效挑战。据悉，这是比克电池第二次针对这件专利发起无效挑战。2021年10月，比克电池就曾针对这件专利发起无效挑战。不过国家知识产权局在2022年4月做出的无效决定中维持了亿马先锋专利的有效性。亿马先锋此前以该专利被侵害为由，在北京知识产权法院起诉了比克电池，并索赔5000多万。据悉，从2019年下半年开始，锂电池领域的知识产权诉讼案明显呈增长态势。
Case Analysis
9
Moody's Quality Management Co., Ltd. v. Hangzhou Aiming Internet Co., Ltd.
涉“MOODY'S”网络域名不正当竞争纠纷案
The determination of domain name registrants shall be based on the content of publicity and public trust, while the temporary template service in domain name registration shall be comprehensively determined from whether there is an agreement, whether the information of the actual registrant is submitted or updated timely, and whether the personal information is hidden in good faith, etc. Registration service acts that actually hoard and cyber-squat a large number of domain names, and use corporate names interchangeably to confuse the registrant information are acts under the banner of temporary template services but actually malicious cybersquatting behaviors, and should be regulated to purify the current chaos in the domain name registration industry.
域名注册人的认定应当以公示公信内容为准，域名注册中的临时模板服务认定应从其是否存在协议、是否及时提交或更新实际注册人信息、是否善意隐藏个人信息等方面予以综合认定；对实际大量囤积、抢注域名、互用企业名称混淆注册人信息的注册服务行为，属于名为临时模板服务、实为恶意抢注域名的行为，应当予以规制，以净化当前域名注册行业乱象。
The privacy protection service in domain name registration is not contradictory to the existing real-name system of domain name registration, and the target of its protection is limited to the private information of the registrant, whose name is not within the scope of the privacy protection service, nor could it be disguised as a substitute for the real holder of the domain name and generate the so-called "proxy holding of a domain name". Otherwise, the registrant of the domain name recorded with the domain name management agency should bear the corresponding legal responsibility.
域名注册中的隐私保护服务与现行的域名注册实名制并不矛盾，其保护的对象仅限于注册人的私密信息，注册人的姓名并不属于该隐私保护服务范畴，更不能以此变相替代域名的真实持有人而产生所谓的“代持域名”，否则应由域名管理机构处载明的域名注册人承担相应的法律责任。
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