Content deleted Content added
Rescuing 1 sources and tagging 0 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5) (Pancho507 - 22012 |
No bare URLs. Remove Cleanup bare URLs template |
||
Line 1:
{{Short description|Prevention of trademarking a product's features}}
{{Intellectual property}}
Under [[United States trademark law]], the '''functionality doctrine''' provides that product features that are functional cannot be protected as [[Trademark|trademarks]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=functionality doctrine (trademark) |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/functionality_doctrine_(trademark) |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=LII / Legal Information Institute |language=en |quote="The functionality doctrine is a rule in trademark law which states that functional product features cannot serve as a trademark. A product feature is considered functional if it is essential to the use or purpose of the product or if it affects the cost or quality of the product. For example, in Valu Engineering, Inc. v. Rexnord Corp., the court decided that certain conveyor belt shapes were functional due to their increased performance over alternative designs and were therefore not eligible to be considered a trademark."}}</ref> A product feature is considered functional if it is essential to the product’s use or purpose, or if it has an impact on the product’s cost or quality.<ref name=":0" /> The purpose of the doctrine is to encourage legitimate competition by ensuring a balance between trademark law and patent law.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1202.02(a)(ii) Purpose of Functionality Doctrine |url=https://tmep.uspto.gov/RDMS/TMEP/current#/result/TMEP-1200d1e914.html?q=Functionality%20Doctrine&ccb=on&ncb=off&icb=off&fcb=off&ver=current&syn=adj |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=tmep.uspto.gov |quote="The functionality doctrine, which prohibits registration of functional product features, is intended to encourage legitimate competition by maintaining a proper balance between trademark law and patent law."}}</ref>
| |||