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A monthly column devoted to IP curiosities and controversies, named in honour of John of Utynam - who received the world's first recorded patent in 1449

Our company launched a new product last year but we have since discovered that a leading supermarket is selling an own brand version that looks very similar. What should we do?

The Uganda Registrar General announced on June 10 2009 that the Nice Classification, 9th edition must be used. Some practitioners concluded that service mark applications could be filed and sundry news items appeared to that effect. However, discussion with the authorities confirmed that the 1952 law would have to be amended to provide for service marks and, accordingly, that the Registry is not yet open for them.

At a meeting in November, EU member states will debate OHIM proposals on the establishment of a cooperation fund to be used to improve trade mark systems in Europe. James Nurton answers your questions about what the fund is and how it will work

Demand for patents over so-called green business methods is rising, just as standards of patent eligibility in the US have been significantly narrowed. Joseph Helmsen and Ritu Singh explain how to draft claims to meet the new test

Sidharth Chopra and J Sai Deepak of Saikrishna & Associates reflect on a busy year in India's courts, which will have ramifications for patent, trade mark and copyright owners

Rakesh Bakshi, associate general counsel of Microsoft India, spoke with Peter Ollier about piracy, politics, software patents and his greatest achievement so far

Pravin Anand and Dhruv Anand of Anand and Anand examine how IP has evolved in India over the past 30 years, focusing on legislation, the courts and other bodies, press coverage, teaching and training

Rahul Chaudhry and Sumit Wadhwa, of Lall Lahiri & Salhotra, compare litigation and administrative actions and discuss alternative avenues available

A recent action brought under the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA), in which Cohen Pontani Lieberman & Pavane LLP (CPLP) prevailed, demonstrates best practices for approaching ACPA actions. The case, Newport News Holdings Corp v Virtual City Vision, Inc, et al (ED Va 2009), involved NNHC, a women's clothing company that owns trade mark registrations for NEWPORT NEWS. The defendants registered the domain name NEWPORTNEWS.COM and initially used it as a virtual city website, but later transformed the website into one offering women's clothing.