Australian intellectual property law

701 Pages·5.878 MB·English

by  Mark J. Davison, Ann L. Monotti, Leanne Wiseman.

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AustralianIntellectualPropertyLaw
IntellectualpropertylawinAustraliahaschangeddramaticallyinthelastdecade
andcontinuestochange.Developmentsintechnology,theriseoftheinternet,
the globalisation of trade and the increasing importance of ‘superbrands’ or
trade marks with global appeal have all affected the laws surrounding intel-
lectualproperty.Furthermore,globalisationhasresultedingreaterpressureto
expandtherightsofintellectualpropertyownersastheyendeavourtocapturethe
potentialbenefitsofownershipinanincreasinglyaffluentandintegratedworld
economy.
ThisbookprovidesadetailedandscholarlyinsightintoAustralianintellectual
propertylaw.Itaimstoofferstudentsandlegalprofessionalsadetaileddiscussion
of the black-letter aspects of the law, with the primary emphasis on the legal
principlesandcomplexitieswithin.
MarkJ.DavisonisProfessorintheFacultyofLawatMonashUniversity.
AnnL.MonottiisProfessorintheFacultyofLawatMonashUniversity.
Leanne Wiseman is Associate Professor in the School of Law at Griffith
University.
ForRachel
ForAlan,LouiseandTim
ForBradandLucy
Australian Intellectual
Property Law
MarkJ.Davison
AnnL.Monotti
LeanneWiseman
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore,
São Paulo, Delhi, Dubai, Tokyo
Cambridge University Press
The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK
Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York
www.cambridge.org
Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521613385
© Mark J. Davison, Ann L. Monotti and Leanne Wiseman 2008
This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the
provision of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part
may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press.
First published in print format 2008
ISBN-13 978-0-511-37428-9 eBook (Dawsonera)
ISBN-13 978-0-521-61338-5 Paperback
Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy
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and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain,
accurate or appropriate.
Reproduction and communication for other purposes:
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Contents
Preface xxi
Acknowledgements xxiii
Tableofstatutes xxv
Tableofcases xlv
1 Introduction
1.1 Thenatureofintellectualproperty 1
1.2 TheoryofIP 2
1.2.1 The‘property’inintellectualproperty 2
1.2.2 Naturalorpersonalityrights 3
1.2.3 Incentivetocreateanddisseminate 3
1.2.4 Protectionforinvestment 4
1.2.5 Rentseeking 5
1.2.6 Acombinationofalltheabove 5
1.3 Theintellectualpropertyregimes 6
1.3.1 Passingoff 6
1.3.2 Registeredtrademarks 7
1.3.3 Copyrightandrelatedrights 7
1.3.4 Designs 9
1.3.5 Confidentialinformation 9
1.3.6 Patents 9
1.3.7 Plantbreeder’srights 10
1.4 Impactofnewtechnology 10
1.5 Internationa lisationofintellectualproperty 12
1.5.1 WIPO 13
1.5.2 TRIPS(1994) 13
1.5.3 Bilateralagreements 14
1.5.4 Harmonisationofintellectualpropertyprocedures 15
1.6 IntellectualpropertyinAustralia 15
1.6.1 HistoryofAustralianintellectualpropertylaw 16
1.6.2 Constitutionallawissues 17
1.7 Schemeofthebook 18
2 Passingoff 20
2.1 Historyofpassingoff 20
2.1.1 Commonlawandpassingoff 20
2.1.2 Equityandpassingoff 21
v
vi CONTENTS
2.2 Elementsofpassingoff 22
2.3 Thereputationoftheplaintiff 23
2.3.1 Locationofreputation 25
2.3.2 Ownershipofreputation 27
2.3.3 Jointownershipofreputation 27
2.3.4 Dualownership:honestconcurrentuseranduseofownname 28
2.3.5 Reputationindescriptivewordsandinsignia:secondary
meanings 30
2.3.6 Reputationinpackagingandappearance 31
2.3.7 Reputationofmarketingimage 33
2.3.8 Reputationinpersonality 33
2.3.9 Abandonmentofreputation 34
2.4 Themisrepresentation 35
2.4.1 Misrepresentation,confusionanddeception 35
2.4.2 Thetargetoftherepresentation 37
2.4.3 Misrepresentationsofthetradeoriginofgoods 38
2.4.4 Differentqualityofgoods 38
2.4.5 Charactermerchandising 38
2.5 Passingoffandtheinternet 42
2.5.1 Domainnames 42
2.5.2 Australianpassingoffcasesandtheinternet 44
2.5.3 Uniformdisputeresolutionpolicy 46
2.5.4 Australianuniformdisputeresolutionpolicy 47
2.5.5 Framing 48
2.5.6 Meta-tags 49
2.5.7 Pop-upadvertisementswheninternetsearching 50
2.6 Effectofdisclaimers 51
2.7 Aholisticperspective 53
2.8 Damage 53
2.9 Statutorycausesofaction 54
2.9.1 ‘Acorporation’ 55
2.9.2 ‘Intradeorcommerce’ 55
2.9.3 ‘Engageinconduct’ 55
2.9.4 ‘Misleadingordeceptive’ 56

2.10 Comparisonwithpassingoff 57
2.10.1 Ss53,55and55A 58
2.10.2 Stateequivalents 59
2.10.3 Injuriousfalsehood 59
2.11 ComparisonwithEuropeandUSA 59
2.12 Remedies 61
3 Registeredtrademarks 64
3.1 Historyofregisteredtrademarks 64
3.2 Drawbacksofpassingoff 65
3.3 Functionsoftrademarks 66
3.3.1 Reducingsearchcosts 67
3.3.2 Managingpropertyinterests 67
3.4 Overviewoftheregistrationprocess 68
CONTENTS vii
3.5 Definitionofatrademark 70
3.6 Definitionofasign 70
3.6.1 Aspectofpackaging,shape 70
3.6.2 Colour 72
3.6.3 Sounds 73
3.6.4 Scents 73
3.7 ‘Usedorintendedtobeused’ 74
3.7.1 Unconditionalintention 74
3.7.2 Objectivetestofintention 75
3.7.3 Usebyothers 75
3.8 Distinguishinggoodsorservices 76
3.8.1 ‘Dealtwithorprovided’ 76
3.8.2 ‘Inthecourseoftrade’ 77
3.8.3 ‘Byaperson’ 78
3.9 Ownership 78
3.9.1 FirstuseinAustralia 79
3.9.2 Distributorshiparrangements 80
3.9.3 Creationoradoptionofanoverseastrademark 81
3.9.4 Personswhocanownatrademark 81
3.10 Certificationtrademarks 82
3.10.1 Requirementsforregistration 82
3.10.2 Certificationbyothermeans 84
3.11 Collectivetrademarks 84
3.12 Defensivetrademarks 84
3.13 Overviewofrequirementsforregistrationofstandardtrademarks 87
3.14 Nationalsignsnottobeusedastrademarks 87
3.15 Signsprescribedunders39(2) 88
3.16 Trademarkcannotberepresentedgraphically(s40) 88
3.17 Trademarknotabletobedistinguished(s41) 89
3.17.1 Inherentdistinctiveness 89
3.17.2 Partialinherentdistinctiveness:useandintendeduse 92
3.17.3 Distinctivenessthroughuse 92
3.17.4 Functionalshapes 93
3.17.5 Colou rtrademarks 97
3.18 Scandaloustrademarks 98
3.19 Usecontrarytolaw 98
3.20 Deceptiveorconfusingtrademarks 99
3.21 Trademarksidenticalorsimilartoexistingtrade
marks 100
3.21.1 Substantiallyidenticalwith 101
3.21.2 Ordeceptivelysimilarto 101
3.21.3 Thecontextofthecomparison 103
3.21.4 Similargoods 104
3.21.5 Similarservices 105
3.21.6 Closelyrelatedgoodsandservices 106
3.21.7 Aglobalassessment 106
3.22 Honestconcurrentuser 107
3.23 Priorcontinuoususer 109
viii CONTENTS
3.24 Otherlegislation 109
3.24.1 Protectionofsportingevents 110
3.24.2 Businessnames 110
3.24.3 AustralianWineandBrandyCorporationAmendmentAct1993 112
3.24.4 Protectionforparticularindustries 112
3.25 Overviewofgroundsofopposition 112
3.26 Anothertrademark’spriorreputation(s60) 113
3.26.1 Relationshipwithhonestconcurrentuserandpriorcontinuoususer
provisions 115
3.27 Geographicalindications(s61) 116
3.27.1 Definitionofageographicalindication 116
3.27.2 Interpretationofs61 117
3.27.3 Exceptionstos61(1) 118
3.28 OppositiongroundsintroducedunderTradeMarksAmendmentAct
2006(Cth) 119
3.29 OverviewofrectificationoftheRegister 119
3.30 AmendmentorcancellationbyRegistrar 120
3.31 Overviewofrectificationbythecourt 121
3.31.1 Aggrievedperson 122
3.32 Errorsandomissions(s85) 123
3.33 Contraventionofconditionsorlimits(s86) 123
3.34 Effectofss24and25ons87 123
3.35 Cancellation,removaloramendment(s88(2)) 125
3.36 Transitionalprovisionsandpresumptivevalidity 126
3.36.1 Fraud 126
3.36.2 Contrarytos28oftherepealedlegislation 127
3.36.3 Notdistinctivewhenproceedingscommence 127
3.37 Generaldiscretionnottorectify 128
3.38 Groundsforopposition 128
3.39 Fraud,falsesuggestionormisrepresentation 129
3.40 Uselikelytodeceiveorcauseconfusion 129
3.41 Rectificationnotgrantedifregisteredownernotatfault 130
3.42 Removalfornon-use 132

3.42.1 Generaldiscretion 134
3.42.2 Recentchangestonon-useunderTradeMarksAmendmentAct2006
(Cth) 135
4 Exploitationofregisteredtrademarks 136
4.1 Overviewofinfringementoftrademarks 136
4.1.1 Useasatrademark 136
4.1.2 Useasdescriptivetermratherthantrademark 137
4.1.3 Signusedtodistinguishgoodsandservicesfromothers 139
4.1.4 Substantiallyidenticalwithordeceptivelysimilarto 140
4.1.5 Relevanceofthedefendant’sconduct 141
4.1.6 Relevanceoftheplaintiff’strademark’sreputation 141
4.2 S120(1) 143
4.2.1 Thegoodsorservicesforwhichthetrademarkisregistered 143