karo IP Blog
Learn more about [Patents and Utility models | Trademarks and Designs | Digital Technologies | IP-Strategy]. More IP News in our [News section].
Since June 2023 unitary patents can be applied for or registered at the European Patent Office (EPO). We have summarized information on the Unitary Patent and the Unified Patent Court in the section Expertise: UPC.
Artificial Intelligence and patent law
Justus Kreuels - 19. May 2023
Artificial Intelligence is one of the key technologies in the field of digitalization. We take the progressive further developments in this field and the discussions about the software tool ChatGPT as an opportunity to take up aspects of copyright and patent law (patenting of AI).
Metaverse: Trademark applications for virtual goods
Matthias Rößler - 1. March 2023
Some companies have started to extend their trademark protection explicitly for digital products. According to the EUIPO, trademark offices are seeing an increasing number of trademark applications for virtual products and NFTs. IP owners should also focus on the metaverse as part of their trademark strategy, e.g., to be able to stop potential trademark infringements in the metaverse.
Trademark protection for virtual products
Justus Kreuels - 28. February 2022
NFTs (non-fungible tokens) have recently gained notoriety, not only in the art market, and have provoked discussions, not least with regard to the infringement of copyright and trademark rights. NFTs are virtual certificates to shares of digital objects or works. Still in its infancy, but with potential: For companies, extending trademark protection to include digital products can be an interesting option.
Protecting 5G-enabled innovations with patents
Justus Kreuels - 26. February 2021
Industry 4.0, autonomous driving, smart cities – for several industry sectors new application areas arise with the network expansion of 5G technology for mobile Internet access and mobile communication. Research activities are in full swing across all industries – and the innovations resulting must be protected in a best possible way.
Patents and digitalization: Technology trend Internet of Things
Matthias Rößler - 11. May 2020
As the trend of developments in the areas of IoT, smart home or autonomous driving continues to grow, the links between value-added chains in companies are also increasing. The development of intelligent products and their possible uses open up new fields of application - also for patent law.
Blockchain and Patents
Justus Kreuels - 10. January 2020
Originally, the blockchain was created to facilitate the transactions of the digital currency Bitcoin. By now, new use cases for blockchain are emerging almost daily and the number of patent applications for blockchain technology is also increasing steadily. An overview.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Patent Law
Justus Kreuels - 30. October 2019
The innovation potential associated with artificial intelligence is high - from autonomous vehicles to medical diagnostics and manufacturing technologies. In recent years, AI-related patent applications increased significantly. Patentability and possible need for reform of patent law with regard to new circumstances due to AI are much discussed.
3D Printing Technologies: Patents and Copyrights
Matthias Rößler - 24. July 2019
3D printing technology can be used to create and replicate a wide range of models and products. These can also include products that are legally protected. What do you have to watch out for?
Software: Is it possible to patent an app?
Justus Kreuels - 18. June 2019
Can an app, i.e. application software for smartphones and tablets, be protected against imitators; and if so, how? Here you can find out what legal claims and possibilities there are for protecting apps in Germany.
Is software patentable?
Justus Kreuels - 30. October 2018
In the course of the last few years, an extensive jurisprudence has developed which regulates the possibilities of patent protection for inventions which are implemented as computer programs, i.e. in software. The starting point of this case law is the statutory patent exclusion for "software as such".