Subscribe:

Ads 468x60px

Friday, August 31, 2012

Mattel Inc. VS MGA Entertainment Inc.


The Mattel Inc VS MGA Entertainment Inc. patent suit emerged after a former employee of Mattel, Carter Bryant, pitched the Bratz doll line idea to MGA Entertainment while he was still employed with Mattel. Although Bryant had managed to keep the secret from Mattel for close to a year, the company eventually found out of his underhanded assignment. As a result of this discovery, Mattel filed a series of lawsuits against MGA Entertainment. 

patent suit In July 2008, the court ruled in favor of Mattel’s claim for exclusive rights over the Bratz doll line. Mattel claimed that Carter Bryant had violated his exclusivity contract while working at their company. During that time he created dolls under MGA Entertainment. Since he was still working at Mattel, the company claimed that the Bratz doll line was indeed their creation. As a result of those claims, Mattel was awarded $100 million US in damages. By December 2008, MGA was banned from manufacturing and selling Bratz dolls. The ban went into effect in January 2009. 

Furthermore, the judge stated that MGA Entertainment Bratz doll line manufactured during the period of 2001 to 2008 had infringed on Mattel’s intellectual property. Only the Kidz and Lil Angelz lines were excluded from this infringement.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

All About Prior Art and Patent Searching

Patent Search
Prior art is information about an invention that has made public knowledge before a specified date. Such art may include patents related to your invention, published articles on your invention, and public demonstrations. Prior art is used during a patent search to determine whether the invention under review can be considered a novelty. Based on the findings of the review, prior art can either qualify or disqualify your patent application.

The Importance of Prior Art in a Patent Search

Prior art plays a crucial role in deciding the validity of your patent application. When your patent application is compared to prior art, the reviewer looks for the novelty or non-obvious nature of your work.

Benefits of a Patent Search

A patent search will help determine whether you can move forward or put an end to a specific invention. Such a search should provide you with any similarities that your invention may have when matched against prior art.