What is the difference between trademark infringement and trademark dilution?
927225
Infringement is where one party infringes upon the trademark rights of another. For example, if you were to open a shoe store & name it Nykey, Nighkee, etc., that would likely be considered an infringement upon Nike ®.\n\nDilution is typically when a mark is used as a verb rather than a noun. For example, it's improper to say "I'm going to Google that." It should be something like "I'm going to search for that using Google." This is important to trademark owners because they do not want their trademarks to lose their impact in the minds of the public. Did you know that aspirin, zipper, escalator & bikini were trademarks at one time? The owners didn't properly secure their trademarks & those terms became diluted & genericized.\n\nYou can read more here:http://www.answers.com/topic/list-of-generic-and-genericized-trademarks\n\nDefinition of dilution: http://research.lawyers.com/glossary/dilution.html\n\nDefinition of infringement: http://research.lawyers.com/glossary/infringement.html\n\nHope that helps!
11345
In the United States (and the law is similar in most countries), it isn't copyright that you need to worry about. Single words and titles aren't copywrited.  However, the word "entmoot" from the Lord of the Rings is probably subject to trademark protections, even though it may not be registered as a trademark.  The law can be complicated, and many tests are applied, but the basic question asked in trademark is whether the mark (in this "entmoot") is associated with the previous user and could cause confusion in a customer when the customer sees it used by the new user. That is, would someone buying a product with "entmoot" in the title assume that the product is associated with Tolkien/ Lord of the Rings because of the word.  I think they probably would, myself.\n\nThe US Trademark Office and Copyright Office have some useful information online if you want to pursue the question.  http://www.uspto.gov/main/faq/index.html
999811
No difference whatsoever. It's just two different names for the same thing.
95904
The first two answers your question received are correct, in a limited sense, but there are great differences that they failed to mention.\n\nThe biggest difference to you, as a consumer, might be the protections available to you when you use a debit or credit card to make a purchase.\n\nIf you use a credit card to purchase something, and you find that the item is faulty, or not as advertised, or the seller fails to deliver it in proper order, or perhaps fails to deliver it at all, you can challenge the charge and if you can substantiate your case, the charge can be reversed.\n\nIf you use a debit card, you are guaranteed no such protections.\n\nI'm not recommending you cut up all your debit cards and use only credit cards, just pointing out a major difference between credit and debit cards, which is what you asked about.
355011
US Copyright office.  But you will probably have to do a search or take a chance that your logo looks like one that is already trademarked.
1080670
TM-Trade Mark indicating that the name or design is a unique symbol belonging to the proprietor\nR-Registered indicating that the content has been registered under the anme of the said proprietor
851098
Simply remove the what and the question mark and your answer will be revealed . The original , in most cases is always the best because follow up version must adhere to strict regulations on copyright infringement and if a corporation " knows " it has a winner then they are going to claim as many areas of the product as they can legally . This presents a problem for the alter - ego products because of design , color . material ...etc and therefore , the product isn't as reliable.
443092
registered product.\nthe logo or design has been registered so you cannot copy it
181817
Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights are three types of intellectual property protection. They are different and serve different purposes. Patents protect inventions, and improvements to existing inventions. Trademarks include any word, name, symbol, or device, or any combination, used, or intended to be used in commerce to identify and distinguish the goods of one manufacturer or seller from goods manufactured or sold by others, and to indicate the source of the goods. Service marks include any word, name, symbol, device, or any combination, used, or intended to be used, in commerce, to identify and distinguish the services of one provider from services provided by others, and to indicate the source of the services. Copyrights protect literary, artistic, and musical works. For general information, publications and other copyright related topics, you may visit their Web site at http://www.copyright.gov. Copyrights information can be obtained from the U.S. Copyright Office, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20559 or you may call 202 707-3000 or 202 707-6737 (TTY).
38956
A trademark is a mark or a symbol which is something you own.\n\nAs for patenting a technical concept, technical concepts can be patented if they are processes or produce some unobvious item as a result. You cannot patent an idea, it must be applied to a physical object in some unobvious way.
702296
Applications for trademarks are published. Any individual or firm can file an objection, usually on the grounds of infringement, or that the trademark represents an effort to block the use of a generic term, including a descriptive geographic one.\n\nBut geographic ones may be protected otherwise also: as appellations d'origine (like wines, Parma ham, cheese, etc.)\n\nHere's one businessperson's story: http://www.cummingsdesign.com/trademarks_service_marks_problems.htm\n\nAnd here's the official UK Government site about opposition to a trademark application: http://www.patent.gov.uk/tm/t-other/t-object/t-object-afterpublish/t-object-afterpublish-oppose.htm\n\nAnd the US Government site: http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm
166171
Sure, it's a work in it's own right, but that doesn't exempt photograpers from the normal trademark laws.\n\nIf a "picture" of Mickey Mouse were used in a manner that Disney diapproved of, they can certainly have a cease and desist order issued to prevent the use of their tradmarked asset.  Remember, you don't have to be necessarily using a product for commercial gain in order to be in violation of trademark laws.  Anything you do that a trademark holder can prove is somehow damaging the value of their trademark can be grounds for a civil suit.\n\nThe laws allow newspapers and television news to print or air events that are considered "newsworthy."  Trademarked items aren't exempt from this.  The media is given the right to report on whatever they deem newsworthy.
1172696
It sounds like you're wanting to know who owns that slogan. If it's been registered as a Federal trademark, check with the USPTO.\n\nHope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!
910223
A registered trademark is a mark that has a Federal trademark registration. This can be a name, a logo, a slogan, packaging & even sounds and smells.\n\nRegistering a trademark grants the owner exclusive rights to the mark within the specified industry. \n\nOf course, it's necessary to research the mark comprehensively prior to filing to ensure that there is no possibility of infringing upon another party. \n\nHope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!
857369
I did a quick search at the US Patent and Trademark Office (http://www.uspto.gov) and did not find a registration.\nTrademarks are very different from other intellectual property because USE, not REGISTRATION, determines most of your trademark rights.  And if a trademark owner can say that people associate a particular mark (whether it's a word, a sound [think: Intel], a color [think: John Deere for farm equipment], or product packaging [think: l'eggs pantyhose],) then it might be enforced as trademark rights.\nA registration gives presumptions of validity and enforceability, but generally those may be challenged.\nHere, this mark is particularly weak because it appears to be descriptive: it describes what the service is online ("the leading music download service.")  Generally, that mark is not protectable unless the owner can prove "secondary meaning" (which means that consumers associate those particular words with the owner's particular goods or services, kinda like "General Motors" or "International Business Machines."). \n\nThis business may be trying to develop "secondary meaning" by using those words exclusively for a long period of time.  But until they've done that, they do not have trademark rights in that slogan.  (Interestingly, a google search of "the leading music download service" turns up three hits: iTunes, Ctrax, and Cdigix.  I don't know if any of them actually try to use "leading music download service" as a trademark, or if that's just a description the media uses for them.)\nIf you want to fight this, consult an attorney before you make any decisions.  Plus, the phrase may be registered under state trademark law (which may have some effect on their claim, but not much.) But it seems like their claim to any righs is tenuous at best.
1012415
Yes and no.   If you got the patent you can fight off imitators by threatening them with a patent infringement suit.   But to actually take them to court is so unbelievably expensive that most people settle out of court.   Patent infringement suits would only be successful if your patent is very well written (so use a pro) and theirs is clearly an infringement (and they would use a pro as well).   So a big company might just infringe then call your bluff - they can afford bigger and better lawyers than you, you can't afford to sue, so they expect you to roll over.   Settle out of court, earn a royalty, and be satisfied.
309206
In law, a patent infringement occurs when the subject-matter claimed in a patent has been utilized by someone other than the rightholder, without the owner's approval or in disagreement with the terms of use given by the owner. Depending on the patent laws in the country where the patent infringement has taken place, the owner of the patent may take action in equity or in law such as an injunction or lawsuit against those who did the infringement. ...