40 lines
2.4 KiB
HTML
40 lines
2.4 KiB
HTML
+++
|
|
type = "news"
|
|
title = "(R) II: Return to the USPTO"
|
|
date = "2011-07-14T01:53:15.000Z"
|
|
tags = ["trademark", "haiku-inc"]
|
|
+++
|
|
|
|
<img src="/files/Registration_Certificate.png" border="8" align="left" />
|
|
<p>
|
|
On July 12th, 2011, <a href="http://www.haiku-inc.org/documents/haiku_inc-uspto-registration_certificate-85181779.pdf">Haiku® received its registration with the
|
|
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)</a>. This registration
|
|
is for "Haiku" the name (as opposed to the <a href="/news/2011-04-01_haiku_trademark_registration_achievement_unlocked">HAIKU logo®</a>, which
|
|
became a registered trademark in March). More precisely, this new registration
|
|
is known as a "standard character claim" and affords much more protection
|
|
than the "stylized mark" registration of the logo.
|
|
</p>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Now for a quick crash course in trademarks. First, trademarks are specific
|
|
to types of goods or types of services. As an example,
|
|
our trademark registrations relate to computer operating systems, but not to washing powder.
|
|
In layman's terms, a "stylized mark" is a specific representation of a trademark. In our case,
|
|
the HAIKU logo consists of the word "HAIKU" in all uppercase letters,
|
|
with 3 leaves that partially cover some of the letters. That registration
|
|
is specific to that description (and similarly confusing marks).
|
|
A "standard character claim" is more generalized, flexible, and stronger.
|
|
That registration applies to any form that "haiku" can take -- whether it be as typed characters or a graphical representation.
|
|
</p>
|
|
<p>
|
|
So, back to the question that many of you may be wondering -- "What does this do for the Haiku Project?"
|
|
It strenghtens everyone's ability to associate "Haiku" with the computer operating system that the Haiku Project creates.
|
|
Additionally, it provides some artistic freedom. Let us imagine a purely hypothetical scenario to illustrate
|
|
how this "standard character claim" registration provides that.
|
|
<i>Some years have passed and the project decides to create a completely new logo for Haiku.</i> In this imaginary scenario,
|
|
that new logo would be protected by the "standard character claim" registration.
|
|
In short, it affords us the confidence that there will be only one operating system that can be called Haiku, no matter what the logo looks like.
|
|
</p>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Lastly as a reminder, Haiku, Inc. provides a <a href="http://haiku-inc.org/trademarks.html">page describing the trademarks</a> and their proper usage.
|
|
</p>
|