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Co-ownership of IP is a complex matter, as different countries follow different systems, and terminology also varies. Luis C Schmidt of Olivares & Cia discusses the system which Mexico has devised as it applies to copyright and trade marks

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

It is a common misperception that people have an absolute right to use their own names in connection with their business or the sale of merchandise. A senior user of a personal name which has acquired secondary meaning will typically be given priority over a junior user of even his or her own personal name if the result will be to avoid confusion.

Céline SA, a famous clothing company, and owner the trade mark Celine, sued clothing boutique Company Céline SARL, Inc, and won at first instance before the French courts.

Proprietary and open software have developed in parallel in the US over the past two decades. Craig Bachman and Anne Glazer of Lane Powell examine some legal intersections between the two models

The US has introduced new rules for the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. This is what they mean in practice

In August, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce of China (SAIC) announced it was launching a nationwide action to combat free-riding of goodwill. Such free-riding refers to unauthorized use of another's reputable trade name/mark as one's trade name, and using such name on goods/services, thereby confusing the public. Local AICs are required to study this problem thoroughly and proactively initiate administrative actions to stop such infringing acts, including selecting serious and typical cases for focused attention. The SAIC will perform random checks on such actions, and participate where appropriate.

In its most recent Decision G 1/05, the Enlarged Board of Appeal (EBA) of the European Patent Office clarified several issues on the validity of divisional applications (first and subsequent generations) containing added subject matter at the actual filing date. In this decision the EBA consolidated three referrals from the Technical Boards of Appeal.

Digital media offer a range of ways for people to infringe copyright. Mexican law is adapting to this situation, but the question is who to prosecute for infringement. Luis Schmidt of Olivares & Cia investigates

The sunrise period for the .asia domain begins this month. Emma Barraclough provides a guide to the latest top-level domain