Henry Hughes IP, Patent & Trademark Attorneys

02/02/2022

artificial intelligence cannot be an "inventor" under New Zealand law.

The New Zealand Assistant Commissioner of Patents has given short shrift to the bid of Dr Stephen Thaler to have an artificial intelligence (AI) listed as the inventor for patent application number 776029 in Stephen L. Thaler [2022] NZIPOPAT 2.

28/01/2022

"If you can capture IP, capture it."

Angus Brown founded Ārepa to create a drink that gave people energy and clarity, without the nasty comedown of some caffeinated or sugary energy drinks.

26/01/2022

24/01/2022

Fascinating story of the Aboriginal flag from a personal artwork to a design icon representative of the Aboriginal people. The transfer of the copyright to the Commonwealth will not affect the author's moral right to be identified as the artist of the original artwork.

The Aboriginal flag will be transferred to public hands for the first time, freeing its use for Australian Indigenous community groups and sporting codes.

07/01/2022

Ryan Reynolds teasing Disney as A. A. Milne's classic enters the public domain under U.S. law.

Yesterday the original book featuring Winnie-the-Pooh entered the public domain. Took some creative liberties but it sticks pretty close to the source materi...

15/12/2021

The UK intellectual Property Office has rejected an application by a group of New Zealand honey producers to trademark the words Manuka honey.

14/12/2021

Can you spot if a website might be a scam?

Tip: Check what payment options are available. A fake online store might display multiple payment options but only let you choose one to look more legitimate. Check out Domain Name Commission 's tips to dnc.org.nz/shopsafenz

14/12/2021

Got a trade mark? Are you using it properly? 🔎

Your trade mark is what distinguishes your goods and services from those of your competitors. Is there a right way (and more importantly a wrong way) to use your trade mark? Yes there is! Photo by Hanna Balan In fact, if you use your trade mark incorrectly it can lose its ability to distinguish your...

07/12/2021

Can you spot if a website might be a scam?

Check images on the website. Are they good quality, consistent in style, or a mismatched set of photos? It could be that someone has ‘borrowed’ images to create a fake online store. dnc.org.nz/shopsafenz

07/12/2021

In Outlander-adjacent trade mark news, the trade mark THE SASSENACH for whisky has been refused by the European Union Intellectual Property Office for being too similar to the trade mark of the Sasse distillery.

Sam Heughan, who plays Jamie Fraser in hit TV show Outlander, has lost out to a Germany distillery in court over the name of his Scotch whisky.

05/12/2021

What an innovative product! Great to see the due diligence of a freedom-to-operate search mentioned in this article.

26-year-old entrepreneur Lucas Smith runs his Wool Aid company near Lake Tekapo.

30/11/2021

In Australia, Katie Perry and Katy Perry are in court over infringement of the Sydney fashion designer's registered trade mark. Fashion designer Katie Taylor (her married name) registered the trade mark in 2008.

Sydney fashion designer Katie Perry has given evidence in her case against pop star Katy Perry for breach of trademark. Katie Perry has told a...