Questions tagged [intellectual-property]
For questions concerning the ownership of ideas, designs and creative work. Specific IP tags include copyright, trademark, and patents.
625
questions
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1answer
42 views
Claiming ownership of a service
I and a few others created a service (a website that people can subscribe to for content) a while back as a hobby with no agreements and no structure. Now though, I am thinking about taking it further ...
0
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1answer
49 views
Is it legal to copy the design of a website only to demonstrate coding ability to clients, nothing more?
I'm trying to find out what is "fair use" or not. I'm a web developer trying to get off the ground and my website portfolio has nothing. So, I'm thinking to have a section of my website called "how-to ...
3
votes
1answer
409 views
In the UK, who owns the intellectual property of a thesis?
Assume the following problem:
A person decides to create software for his thesis. His application turns out to be very profitable.
If he continues creating it, will the University own the ...
0
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1answer
31 views
Is it illegal to create a game that mentions anime (Japanese Tv show) characters?
For example, could I make an app and release it, but it uses the titles of anime and its characters? Would it be illicit to make revenue off of it?
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3answers
130 views
Cybersquatter posted my domain for sale after I queried it - can I still file a UDRP?
I'm in a situation where a cybersquatter holds a domain name that I have trademarked.
My company "Example Ltd" is based in the UK, and we've been established under our brand name for over 30 years. ...
0
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1answer
62 views
Could there be legal reprecussions for using a TV show/Anime/Series as a design for T-Shirts?
For example, if I wanted to make a T-shirt of a character for the Arrow Tv series, but I drew it myself/designed it myself. Is it legal for me to sell products (T-shirts) of it?
1
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1answer
47 views
Copyright of vocabulary collections?
I recently stumbled across an answer to a question stating that certain content could not be copyrighted.
I wonder if this is also the case for collections of vocabs found online. Can they be ...
1
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1answer
47 views
Would it be copyright infringement to use a name of a D&D spell/creature in an unrelated game?
If I were to create a video game with mechanics and a story that are divorced from D&D, but still used a name like "Eldritch Blast" for an attack move, is this still infringing on WoTC's IP? ...
0
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1answer
97 views
How Could the Winklevoss Twins Have Legally Prevented Anyone from Stealing their Facebook Idea
Please give me legal, black-and-white answer.
Winklevoss Twins say someone stole their idea for Facebook and Judge awarded them some millions.
But how could have Winklevoss Twins protected ...
0
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1answer
34 views
Employment intellectual property ownership loopholes
Thanks in advance for any suggestions or help.
I work for a large software corporation and have in my employment contract the standard clauses saying the company owns essentially any idea of mine ...
3
votes
2answers
1k views
Trademark: “Lyft” and acquired dictinctiveness
I want to understand why "Lyft" was trademarked for "transportation of passengers by motorized vehicle".
When Lyft Inc originally filed for "Lyft" trademark in 2012 (serial# 85/743120), the use was ...
0
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4answers
76 views
Register own surname as a trademark
Can I legally register my own surname as a trademark?
Supposing my name is Jeck Galifianakis, can I sue by law all the business entities (or maybe individuals too) that hold name Galifianakis in its ...
0
votes
1answer
60 views
What is the status of arts at museums?
I'm in more interest of intellectual property stuff. For example if I'd like to take a picture of some masterpiece painting in the Louvre museum, can I spread thic pic or even sell via different ...
0
votes
1answer
45 views
Making use of client side website files to figure out API endpoints being used
There is a utility website witch I presumed used a backend API. There is no authentication or anything on the website, it's just for public use. Now, I want to build a mobile app that makes use of the ...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
Can I use screenshot of a TV show on slides of a talk?
I have been invited to give a TEDx talk quite soon and the topic of the talk is really close to an episode of Black Mirror. I'd therefore like to use some images of the show in my talk. Other movies ...
1
vote
1answer
51 views
“Etsy” plans as download - license, restrictions?
"Etsy" is an online platform designed to allow individuals to sell models via a standardized platform.
Some sellers off downloadable files, containing plans to recreate those models. Example, rubber ...
0
votes
2answers
27 views
Picture credits -> must the page of inclusion be named?
we're currently developing a website. For this we use pictures for which we need to place an attribution on the legal notice page.
Now we're wondering if it's enough to place the following ...
0
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0answers
18 views
Scraping legal disclosure reports to build a database?
I am thinking of scraping business related data from websites like the UK's National Storage Mechanism, where all UK publicly traded security issuers must periodically report various bits of ...
0
votes
1answer
56 views
Can I use a pen name that is a trademark?
I am about to publish my first novel under a pen name. This is not the name, but I will use the example of Monique Jay-Wood. I have done a trademark search and "Jay Wood" is trademarked. Is it better ...
1
vote
2answers
49 views
Resources for assigning employee intellectual property back?
As an employee of a software company they own my personal time projects, this is not in question. That said, my employer is quite reasonable about said things and at least verbally quite willing to ...
0
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0answers
58 views
Distributing (for free) defunct software with valid license [duplicate]
I'm thinking about creating and distributing for free a virtual image with Ubuntu that has installed the latest original software from a defunct software provider with valid (paid) licenses.
From ...
2
votes
0answers
64 views
Is it okay to use my own software for a job with another company?
Over the last year I setup (registered) my own company so I could do freelance and contracting. I also produced some digital products for sale on the app stores.
During that time I built a very ...
1
vote
1answer
75 views
Are all emails confidential?
I have a workmanship issue regarding vinyl siding installed on my home which the contractor refuses to address. We’ve had several email exchanges. Can I publish his email replies?
I’d like to include ...
0
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0answers
22 views
Copying job ads from top brands
Is it illegal to copying job posting from top brand's websites ie: Facebook, Google, Amazon, TCS, Tesla, SpaceX etc?
Such brands always post open job position:
Is it illegal to spider/crawl or ...
1
vote
1answer
56 views
Are intellectual property indemnity clause, which requires the employee to indemnify the employer, enforceable?
Jurisdiction is England (UK), and it's a clause in an employment contract (permanent).
The following question has been posted on reddit, and I happen to be on the same boat.
I've been offered a ...
1
vote
1answer
65 views
French stance on intellectual property rights for content creatd by artificially intelligent entities
French intellectual property rights consider the "author" as the holder of intellectual property rights for their creation. Now, artificially intelligent, or creative, computers can generate content ...
1
vote
1answer
41 views
Assignment of Inventions to employer - exclusion of Inventions assigned or licensed to me?
A NY law employment contract states in a section entitled All Inventions are Exclusively the Property of the Firm:
Employee assigns to the Firm... without any additional consideration, all of ...
2
votes
1answer
48 views
License of a code resulting from following a Youtube tutorial
I was following this tutorial on YouTube - https://youtu.be/V_lAhqLXT9A where you download some starter files and then edit them according to the tutorial to make a website.
I wonder what legal ...
0
votes
1answer
24 views
Is a stock power form the same as the stock purchase agreement?
From what I understand I need to complete the stock purchase agreement inoders to fully/legally own all shares in my company. I understand that I need to fill out some sort of form or create and sign ...
5
votes
3answers
122 views
Volunteer Created Work: Who Owns the Copyright?
A volunteer creates many works for a nonprofit, without signing anything or giving ownership of the works to the nonprofit. The work is used, but after about a year, the volunteer resigns and, a month ...
0
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2answers
120 views
Is it advisable for a person write his own contract if he is good in english but don't know legal jargon?
A lawyer scared me by saying, yes you can right your own contract but chances are most of your clauses won't hold in court cause you don't know legal jargon.
However, I know english and my english is ...
2
votes
2answers
58 views
Using a public domain opera, recorded by someone else, in a parody
I found a YouTube video of a public domain opera, and I want to use the sound portion in a musical parody. I will only use parts of it, alter it dramatically, and wish to claim "Fair Use." Is it ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
Prevent IP from hostile transfer to another company
Our software company has a kick-ass product, which is the only thing of value to the company. What measures can I take to ensure the IP remains within the company?
I have heard stories that a ...
1
vote
1answer
111 views
Can trade secrets be so broad that they prevent employees from working in the same field or doing academic research?
We all know that employees have a duty not to disclose or use trade secret information. But can trade secret be defined so broadly that, because of the duty of non-disclosure, an employee can no ...
0
votes
1answer
42 views
Can I enter into an IP contract with my own ltd company before having investors in?
I spent 4 years developing an App. Recently I started a Proprietary Limited company (I'm in Australia). Me and my wife are the only directors.
Before getting share holders into the company, is it ...
4
votes
3answers
154 views
If a no-deal Brexit happens will EU provisions on reverse engineering be nullified?
As it stands the UK implements an EU law which prevents the reverse engineering of proprietary software with few exceptions, could this change once we leave the EU?
0
votes
1answer
38 views
Does the USPTO distinguish between downloadable software regarding trademarks?
Trademarks protect marks within their own categories, which can loosely be defined as fields or industries. However, some categories, like IC009, which covers downloadable software, is very broad. As ...
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votes
2answers
64 views
Signing on Behalf of a Minor
Background: I want to sign an NDA, however, I am a minor. As a member of the Disclosing Party, there are clauses within the NDA that state that "any files written with names developed by the ...
0
votes
1answer
68 views
Can a beer brewery and liquor distribution company have almost the same names, since they are different classes/categories?
If a beer brewery has already trademarked the name barrelhouse, and I own a liquor distribution company, for wine and spirits, that I wanted to trademark as barrelhouse selections would this pass?
0
votes
1answer
25 views
Unsolicited ideas clause in terms of service in the context of corporate email contact links?
Most term of service contracts have a unsolicited ideas clause that contains language like:
suggestions or ideas relating to enhancements, new or improved products, technologies
etc.
If the ...
1
vote
1answer
60 views
Claiming Stolen Information in an NDA
Set Up: A unilateral NDA is created in the state of Rhode Island between a Receiving Party and a Disclosing Party. This is a basic patent NDA that grants the Receiving Party the ability to see the un-...
-1
votes
1answer
44 views
Contract for Securing Intellectual Property
Is there any sort of legal contract in the United States (Rhode Island) one could make without a lawyer that would state that a disclosing party owns a certain idea and that the receiving party may ...
0
votes
1answer
90 views
Way to Claim an Idea for under $200 [closed]
I have recently come up with a very interesting concept in engineering that I would also like to share with peers. However, I am relatively fearful that someone may hear the idea and make it or patent ...
1
vote
1answer
40 views
Can I protect a logo against registration by publishing it to GitHub with a licence?
Can I use GitHub to release a logo with the CC BY-NC-ND licence aside? Would this legally prevent anyone from registering it since the release dates are tracked by GitHub?
Edit: Assuming that I ...
0
votes
2answers
45 views
Legal issues in hiring an artist the create artwork for commercial use
I am thinking of hiring an overseas artist from Upwork to do the drawings for me.
Just wondering if there any legal issues in me doing this and using the artwork in YouTube videos that may generate ...
1
vote
2answers
72 views
Naming a product using the first letter of a persons name?
I was thinking about naming our products using the first letter in a cause or person that we'd like to bring attention to. For our first product I was thinking FS R, with the last letter being the ...
-1
votes
1answer
32 views
Find the status of an IP
I've been trying to find a way to check the status of IPs, specifically if an IP is in the public domain or not.
But despite my best effort, I have been unable to find a way to check for that kind of ...
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votes
1answer
80 views
Could I get around a copyright by changing one small thing
I am trying to make a computer program that simulates another computer. I want to simulate something called the Scott CPU (from here). Could I change a small thing about it and not have to ask for ...
1
vote
2answers
78 views
File copying and deletion before employee leaves to competitor
This may be a mundane question but I cannot find an answer for it, as the law is not my area of expertise.
If an employee is under contract and copies files (on mass to a personal cloud storage) for ...
1
vote
1answer
79 views
Who owns my idea? Me or my company? [UK] [closed]
I work in a small, specific, applied software development niche. The industry I operate in is relatively small and everyone knows everyone. Recently myself and a colleague have been floating the idea ...
