Check out the top 10 Futurity posts of 2023
To celebrate the end of the year, we’re counting down our top 10 research news posts of 2023.
Patent Grant Total 2023
by Dennis Crouch
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a total of 312,100 utility patents in the calendar year 2023. This marks the fourth consecutive year of decline in the number of issued patents. The 2022 figures show a 3% decrease from the previous year and a 12% decrease from the record-high numbers seen in 2019, as depicted in the chart below. One of the biggest changes from 2022 to 2023 is that non-US patent applicants dropped from 51% of the total down to 48%. In fact, numbers from US-applicants increased over the past year. There was a roughly parallel shift when looking at the % of patents naming a US inventor — up from 47% in 2022 to 50% in 2023.
It’s important to recognize that patent issuance in any given year is largely based on innovations and applications filed 2-5 years prior or more. For example, the 2023 decline reflects a drop in underlying patent filings, R&D, and new invention volume primarily from 2018 to 2020, with most applications pending examination for years before grant. Similarly, the 2022 and prior year patent volumes correlate most directly with late 2010s economic, policy and innovation landscapes.
Patent Grant Total 2023
by Dennis Crouch
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a total of 312,100 utility patents in the calendar year 2023. This marks the fourth consecutive year of decline in the number of issued patents. The 2022 figures show a 3% decrease from the previous year and a 12% decrease from the record-high numbers seen in 2019, as depicted in the chart below. One of the biggest changes from 2022 to 2023 is that non-US patent applicants dropped from 51% of the total down to 48%. In fact, numbers from US-applicants increased over the past year. There was a roughly parallel shift when looking at the % of patents naming a US inventor — up from 47% in 2022 to 50% in 2023.
It’s important to recognize that patent issuance in any given year is largely based on innovations and applications filed 2-5 years prior or more. For example, the 2023 decline reflects a drop in underlying patent filings, R&D, and new invention volume primarily from 2018 to 2020, with most applications pending examination for years before grant. Similarly, the 2022 and prior year patent volumes correlate most directly with late 2010s economic, policy and innovation landscapes.
Trademark Influencers and Aspen Mountain
by Dennis Crouch
I’m excited to head out to Snowmass in early January for the IP-SKI conference! Although we have the Ozarks here in mid-Missouri, there is nothing like the Rocky Mountains. This year I’ll also have the opportunity once again to connect with other intellectual property lawyers and talk shop while enjoying some long runs. (LINK)
In the meantime, I came across an interesting lawsuit that Aspen Skiing Company (ASC) recently filed against ski apparel company Perfect Moment. ASC owns and operates the four famous ski resorts that make up Aspen Snowmass – Snowmass along with Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk, with a history stretching back to 1947. According to the complaint, ASC is suing Perfect Moment for trademark infringement, false association, unfair competition, and other claims. [Aspen Complaint]
The basic scoop here is that Perfect Moment conducted photo shoots on ASC properties to promote its skiwear, intentionally trading on ASC’s fame and reputation. Back in March 2021, Perfect Moment posted social media photos showing influencers posing in Perfect Moment apparel, with recognizable buildings, ski lifts, and trails of the ASC resorts in the background. ASC asserts such posts falsely imply an endorsement or sponsorship relationship.
Continue reading Trademark Influencers and Aspen Mountain at Patently-O.
What should you expect from the economy in 2024?
What’s in store for the economy in 2024? What about inflation and interest rates? An expert has some predictions for you.
Loneliness is about more than the need to belong
Feeling supported and having a sense of control are key factors in feeling lonely, according to new research.
Loneliness is about more than the need to belong
Feeling supported and having a sense of control are key factors in feeling lonely, according to new research.
Artificial Intelligence and Copyright in China: Lessons from a Recent Court Case
by Dennis Crouch
Thus far US copyright and patent tribunals have refused to award rights for AI generated works. China has begun its move in the opposite direction with the recent decision granting rights to an artist who created an image using the popular generative AI system Stable Diffusion. The case of Li v. Liu was decided by the recently Beijing Internet Court. The court decides internet related cases using online tools. Although the court uses AI judges in some cases, this one was decided by humans.
[Read an English translation created by GWU Law Students Yuqian Wang and Jiaying Zhang supervised by Prof. Robert Brauneis: Li v Liu Beijing Internet Court 20231127 with English Translation. More AI related decisions are available at the GWU AI Litigation Database.]
The plaintiff, Li, used Stable Diffusion to generate a photorealistic image of an Asian woman. He shared the work on Xiaohongshu, a Chinese platform similar to Instagram. Later, the defendant Liu, a blogger, published the image in a blog post without Li’s permission, removing his username and platform watermark.
Li sued for copyright infringement. The Beijing Internet Court ultimately ruled in his favor, ordering Liu to apologize publicly, pay ¥500 ($72) in damages, and cover ¥50 ($7) in court fees.
Artificial Intelligence and Copyright in China: Lessons from a Recent Court Case
by Dennis Crouch
Thus far US copyright and patent tribunals have refused to award rights for AI generated works. China has begun its move in the opposite direction with the recent decision granting rights to an artist who created an image using the popular generative AI system Stable Diffusion. The case of Li v. Liu was decided by the recently Beijing Internet Court. The court decides internet related cases using online tools. Although the court uses AI judges in some cases, this one was decided by humans.
[Read an English translation created by GWU Law Students Yuqian Wang and Jiaying Zhang supervised by Prof. Robert Brauneis: Li v Liu Beijing Internet Court 20231127 with English Translation. More AI related decisions are available at the GWU AI Litigation Database.]
The plaintiff, Li, used Stable Diffusion to generate a photorealistic image of an Asian woman. He shared the work on Xiaohongshu, a Chinese platform similar to Instagram. Later, the defendant Liu, a blogger, published the image in a blog post without Li’s permission, removing his username and platform watermark.
Li sued for copyright infringement. The Beijing Internet Court ultimately ruled in his favor, ordering Liu to apologize publicly, pay ¥500 ($72) in damages, and cover ¥50 ($7) in court fees.
Federal Circuit Appellate court Grants Emergency Stay of Apple Watch Ban
by Dennis Crouch
The patent battle between Masimo and Apple over pulse oximetry technology in the Apple Watch took a new turn on December 27th. Despite the recent import ban imposed by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), Apple was granted a temporary stay by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. For now, this emergency ruling blocks the government from enforcing the exclusion order on certain Apple Watch models through at least mid-January. However, the legal fight is far from over. For Masimo, this short-term win for Apple weakens its bargaining position as the two companies continue their protracted patent dispute in courts and before regulatory agencies.
Although President Biden refused to act, the Federal Circuit has granted Apple a temporary reprieve of the ITC exclusion order barring its Apple Watch for importation. The dispute focuses on patents held by light-based pulse-oximetry innovator Masimo, and the ITC’s conclusion.
Order: Fed Cir Apple Order Granting Temp Stay
On December 27, the Federal Circuit granted Apple’s request for an emergency stay of the import/sales ban. This temporary stay prevents Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) division from enforcing the exclusion order while the court considers Apple’s broader motion to stay the ban pending its full appeal.