“Apple was sued May 21 by Innovate Media Group LLP of Costa Mesa, California, owner of two registered U.S. trademarks for ‘iAd,'” AP reports. “Innovate, founded in 2002 by Yahoo! Inc. alumnus John Cecil, registered the trademarks for use with Internet advertising in October 2008, according to the database of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The company has used the terms since 2006, it said in the complaint filed in federal court in Los Angeles.”
AP reports, “Innovate claims that Apple’s use of the ‘iAd’ mark ‘is just another sequence in a pattern of conduct by Apple, of ignoring and tramping the intellectual property rights of others.’ The complaint noted that ‘iPhone,’ ‘iPad’ and even the name ‘Apple’ were all marks held by third parties, ‘which Apple used without the owners’ permission, and ultimately took over.’ Innovate made reference to trademark disputes with the Beatles-founded record label Apple Corp. and Cisco Systems Inc.’s iPhone mark.”
MacDailyNews Note: MInor point (sarcasm), but Apple legally gained the rights to use iPhone, iPad, and Apple. They didn’t “take them over.”
AP continues, “Innovate claimed it has suffered ‘irreparable harm’ and notes that Apple has applied for to register ‘iAd’ as a trademark in Canada. It asked the court to bar Apple from using ‘iAd,’ and for an award of money damages and all profits realized by Apple relative to its alleged infringement. Additionally, Innovate requested awards of litigation costs and attorney fees, and extra damages for what it said is deliberate infringement by Apple.”
More details in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Carl H.” for the heads up.]