Tag Archives: intellectual property

New Scoop on Bowl-Shaped Frito Lawsuit

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Bowl of chili, by Wikimedia user Carstor, licensed by Creative Commons

                          Dip that chip!

The latest food lawsuit gives new meaning to the phrase “let the chips fall where they may”.  Frito-Lay, the famous American snack distributor, has recently lost a legal battle against a smaller competitor involving their “Scoops!” tortilla chips.  Medallion Foods, a private-label food subsidiary of Ralcorp Holdings, won the jury’s favor over their own brand of snacks that allow you to easily scoop up salsa, guacamole, or dip.  Frito had been seeking $4.5 million worth of damages from the St. Louis company, claiming that their version of the scoop-able chip was simply a rip-off of their famous “Scoops!”.  A U.S. district court in Dallas came to the decision in late winter, surprising many of those who assumed Frito-Lay had the inside track on a settlement. Read more

Like This: Facebook Sued Over Dead Man’s Patent

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thumb thumbs up hand finger top tip, by pixabay user LoggaWiggler, licensed by Creative Commons.

No sir, I do not bite by thumb at you, sir

Mark Zuckerberg is no stranger to a lawsuit.  This time, Rembrandt Social Media is claiming that Facebook’s use of a “Like” button infringes upon a patent created in 1998 by a currently deceased Dutch programmer.  The brain behind social media giant Facebook, has time and time again had to defend his creation from a multitude of people who would like their piece of the pie.  The new suit, filed in a Virginia court on behalf Joannes Jozef Everardus van Der Meer, revolves around a failed social media network known as Surfbook, which involved the idea of pressing a “like” button to show approval.  The like button is a central idea powering Facebook that allows users to interact with a simple click instead of actually commenting on a post or picture. Read More

Apple and Amazon Urged to Reach Settlement

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Fifth Avenue Cube - Apple Store, by flickr user Rob Boudon, licensed by Creative Commons.

                 Think outside the box

Think of this as a teaser for a heavyweight match that will take place in a few months.  A judge has ordered that Apple and Amazon attempt to reach a settlement over use of the word “Appstore” before their big court date in the summer.  Apple, the technology giant, claims that they own rights to the phrase and had already sued the e-commerce site Amazon.com.  A judge had ruled that Apple had no claim to the fictional phrase.  U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Laporte has urged the two companies to gather this spring in attempts to avoid a later clash over the intellectual property, copyrights, or trademarks.  If no settlement is reached, Apple and Amazon will soon go before a judge in Southern California over using “Appstore”. Read more

Pinterest Stuck With New Lawsuit

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Pin Board Cork Wall Frame Memo, by Pixabay user Geralt, licensed by Creative Commons

                   Put it on the board!

The latest legal battle in social media could be a pretty sharp one.  The popular photo-sharing network Pinterest is being sued by a man claiming that a potential investor stole his ideas.  Theodore Schroeder of Ocean City, NJ cites that he met with several people while attempting to expand on his idea of a “board”-related social media site, called RendezVoo.  One of these venture capitalists was Brian Cohen, who eventually went on to make a deal with Pinterest which included, Schroeder claims, his own intellectual property.  Mr. Schroeder is seeking monetary compensation upwards of $75,000, stating that it took time, money, and other resources for him to continue his attempts to build RendezVoo.  Pinterest has countered saying the lawsuit, filed right around the holidays, is “baseless”. Read more

Red Bull Space Jump & The Future of Patent Lawsuits

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Speaking of Software Patents by Flickr User Opensourceway Licensed Under Creative Commons

                            Whose is it?

The Red Bull Stratos jump caused, 8.5 million people to watch Felix Baumgartner fall through the atmosphere at the speed of sound.  Red Bull was able to create a live moment that captivated millions.  Everyone was talking about Red Bull for days.  Obviously millions cannot witness the event live in-person, so the platform to deliver the message is equally as important.

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