The JBIPL Blog offers a forum for our Editors and Staff to expand our coverage of developments in both business and IP law. The Blog will provide short entries analyzing current cases, trends and issues in business and IP law. The Blog has won the The Expert Institute's 2015 and 2016 Best Legal Blog Contest for Education and Law School Blogs.
Posted: November 22nd, 2021
By: Ben Suslavich
In 2015, DeepMind, owned by Alphabet, developed Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) AlphaGo to beat the reigning three-time European Champion, Fan Hui, in the board game “Go.” This victory marked a milestone in the development of AI because of the complexity of the game. Continue reading »
Posted: November 8th, 2021
By: Ryan Mahabir
Have you noticed a shortage of Ford and Toyota vehicles? Have you had trouble finding a new washing machine? Are you wondering if you will ever get your hands on a PlayStation 5? You are likely not alone in having these thoughts. All of the aforementioned products require semiconductor chips for their electrical components to function properly and to “provide a variety of functions ranging from computing to storage and memory.” Continue reading »
Posted: September 7th, 2021
By: Benjamin Suslavich
One year ago, the Wake Forest Journal of Business & Intellectual Property Law addressed the prospect of compulsory licensing under the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (“TRIPS Agreement“). The TRIPS Agreement is an international treaty that came into effect in 1995 and sets out minimum standards of intellectual property (“IP”) protection each signatory country must uphold. Continue reading »
Posted: August 19th, 2021
By: Benjamin Suslavich
In a split 5-4 decision in Arthrex Inc. v. Smith & Nephew, Inc, the Supreme Court determined that the structure of Administrative Patent Judge (“APJs”) appointments—or lack thereof—was unconstitutional and took it upon itself to restructure the Patent Office’s chain of command. This case is another example of the Court striving to preserve the inter partes review (IPR) system, which allows anyone to file a petition requesting that the Patent Office cancel another’s patent. Continue reading »
Posted: July 26th, 2021
By: Carli Berasi
A conversation regarding patent rights has entered the international pharmaceutical stage as the World Trade Organization has debated requiring a temporary waiver of patent protections granted to companies for their COVID-19 vaccines. Continue reading »
Posted: July 21st, 2020
By: Alyssa Valdes
3D print of a SARS-CoV-2 virus particle
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, medical equipment and other essentials have run out of supply, paving the way for 3D printing to alleviate these supply shortages. The increased need for certain products, such as masks, face shields, and ventilator valves, has led to a gap in supply and demand. Owners of 3D printing technology have stepped in to produce more of these products and prevent further spread of COVID-19, but their acts of kindness come with some potential risks.
Posted: July 14th, 2020
By: John Stevelinck, Jr.
At present, there have been over 2.5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 100,000 COVID-19 related deaths in the United States. As a result, efforts to develop a vaccine are in full swing, placing the U.S. Government in a unique situation when it comes to patent rights.
Posted: August 25th, 2019
By: Aaron Johnston, Summer Blogger
From author Michael Crichton’s forward-thinking novel Disclosure to popular films such as Iron Man, Minority Report, and Star Trek – science fiction has been predicting our future adventures in virtual and augmented reality for decades. Technology has advanced to make virtual and augmented realities believable and obtainable. Both virtual and augmented realities are likely to make a significant impact in the coming decade. The question is how will intellectual property law catch up?
Posted: April 24th, 2019
By: Samantha Moench
On March 18, 2019, Argonne National Laboratory released more information about Aurora, “America’s next-generation supercomputer.” Intel has teamed up with the Department of Energy (“DOE”) to create the computer at Argonne’s lab facility which is estimated to cost upwards of $500 million. Cray Inc.—known for its 45 years of building the “world’s most advanced supercomputers” will be a sub-contractor on the deal. Together, Cray Inc. and Intel will work to construct “the fastest supercomputer in U.S. history.” Continue reading »
Posted: February 18th, 2019
By: Daniel Norton
In the past, science fiction books and television shows toyed with the idea of “replicators” and “matter compilers.” The idea was that people would be able to produce the tools or objects they needed in any given situation from the comforts of their own homes or starships. Mere decades after this idea was considered a fantasy it has become a reality as Americans have increasingly begun using 3D printers to create tools and objects they need from the comfort of their own homes. But the advent of 3D printers has not brought about the utopian freedoms things like Star Trek indicated. Instead, 3D printing technology has created entirely new challenges for the US patent system to grapple with.
The creation of an object using 3D printing is known as additive manufacturing. This process involves a 3D printer applying a given material in thin layers on top of each other to create an object dictated to it by a computer-aided design (CAD) file. While this ability was first created in the 1980s, it has exploded in popularity over the past few years due to the advent of “home” 3D printers. Continue reading »
