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來源:IPRdaily中文網(wǎng)(IPRdaily.cn)
作者:馬慧敏 北京市商泰律師事務(wù)所
原標(biāo)題:從騰訊與奇瑞QQ之爭(zhēng)談馳名商標(biāo)跨類保護(hù)
騰訊QQ是騰訊公司1999年推出的國(guó)內(nèi)首款即時(shí)通訊軟件,而奇瑞QQ是奇瑞公司在2003年7月推出的一款微型轎車,兩“QQ”均在其領(lǐng)域享有很高的知名度,從過去到現(xiàn)在一直在為“QQ”這個(gè)名號(hào)爭(zhēng)執(zhí)不休,商標(biāo)爭(zhēng)奪則成為雙方這場(chǎng)爭(zhēng)奪戰(zhàn)的主戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)。
2014年7月17日北京市高級(jí)人民法院作出(2014)高行終字第1696號(hào)終審判決,如下:騰訊公司主張的國(guó)家工商總局商標(biāo)評(píng)審委員會(huì)(以下簡(jiǎn)稱商評(píng)委)在對(duì)其注冊(cè)爭(zhēng)議商標(biāo)的正當(dāng)性,奇瑞公司在汽車商品上使用“QQ”商標(biāo)的不正當(dāng)性以及請(qǐng)求認(rèn)定其在第38類通訊服務(wù)上注冊(cè)和使用的“QQ”商標(biāo)已構(gòu)成馳名商標(biāo)等答辯意見存在紕漏,不具有法律依據(jù)不予支持。
回顧事件始末,早在2005年騰訊公司在第12類汽車等商品上申請(qǐng)注冊(cè)了“QQ”商標(biāo),并于2008年獲批。但這引起了奇瑞公司的不滿,奇瑞認(rèn)為騰訊違反了《商標(biāo)法》第十三條、第三十二條中關(guān)于“復(fù)制模仿馳名商標(biāo)、類似商品上的相同近似商標(biāo)、損害他人在先權(quán)利”等規(guī)定,并于2009年向商評(píng)委提出撤銷騰訊公司的汽車類商標(biāo)申請(qǐng),且獲得支持。隨后騰訊公司不服裁定將商評(píng)委告上法院,奇瑞公司作為第三人出庭。
我國(guó)商標(biāo)法第十三條規(guī)定:“……就不相同或者不相類似商品申請(qǐng)注冊(cè)的商標(biāo)是復(fù)制、摹仿或者翻譯他人已經(jīng)在中國(guó)注冊(cè)的馳名商標(biāo),誤導(dǎo)公眾,致使該馳名商標(biāo)注冊(cè)人的利益可能受到損害的,不予注冊(cè)并禁止使用?!?br/>
既然騰訊QQ在奇瑞注冊(cè)商標(biāo)時(shí),已經(jīng)是馳名商標(biāo)了,那么,即使兩者不屬于同一個(gè)產(chǎn)業(yè),奇瑞能不能再去申請(qǐng)?馳名商標(biāo)的跨類保護(hù)力度究竟有多大?對(duì)于擁有馳名商標(biāo)的企業(yè)而言是不是就高枕無憂了?
前段時(shí)間滇虹藥業(yè)與浙江省自然人陳某“康王”商標(biāo)之爭(zhēng)的結(jié)果無疑是對(duì)此問題的側(cè)面解答。滇虹藥業(yè)擁有的“康王”商標(biāo)在中藥、西藥等商品上多次被認(rèn)定為馳名商標(biāo),陳某欲在嬰兒全套衣、襪等商品上申請(qǐng)注冊(cè)“康王Kangwang”商標(biāo)。此案件歷經(jīng)異議、異議復(fù)審、一審和二審行政訴訟程序,最終北京市高級(jí)人民法院作出(2014)高行終字第680號(hào)行政判決,對(duì)陳某服裝類“康王”商標(biāo)予以核準(zhǔn)注冊(cè)。
綜上可見,馳名商標(biāo)在不相同或者不相類似的商品上跨類保護(hù)并非能跨全類保護(hù),而要綜合考量商品在生產(chǎn)工藝、功能用途、銷售渠道、消費(fèi)對(duì)象等方面是否均存在較大差異,是否分屬不同的行業(yè)領(lǐng)域,是否致使相關(guān)公眾的誤導(dǎo),是否損害擁有馳名商標(biāo)的企業(yè)利益。
馳名商標(biāo)已無法為企業(yè)提供全類的保護(hù),企業(yè)又如何對(duì)自己的商標(biāo)進(jìn)行全方位保護(hù)?
有人建議進(jìn)行全類注冊(cè)已起到保護(hù)與防御相結(jié)合的作用,這種保護(hù)手段在大型企業(yè)比較常見,但對(duì)中小型企業(yè)而言45類全部注冊(cè)官費(fèi)成本就在三萬多,還不算代理機(jī)構(gòu)的代理費(fèi),這無疑是一筆不小的支出。
且商標(biāo)法第四十九條規(guī)定:“……注冊(cè)商標(biāo)成為其核定使用的商品的通用名稱或者沒有正當(dāng)理由連續(xù)三年不使用的,任何單位或者個(gè)人可以向商標(biāo)局申請(qǐng)撤銷該注冊(cè)商標(biāo)……”,換而言之,即使45類全部注冊(cè)了且拿到了商標(biāo)證書,企業(yè)也仍然面臨著商標(biāo)連續(xù)三年不使用被撤銷的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。
那么企業(yè)又該如何保護(hù)自己的商標(biāo)權(quán)不受侵犯了?
就此,本人建議對(duì)有獨(dú)創(chuàng)性的設(shè)計(jì)在申請(qǐng)商標(biāo)的同時(shí)做著作權(quán)登記,形成多重權(quán)利保護(hù),根據(jù)商標(biāo)法第三十二條之規(guī)定:“申請(qǐng)商標(biāo)注冊(cè)不得損害他人現(xiàn)有的在先權(quán)利……”,因而以著作權(quán)作為在先權(quán)利防止他人將企業(yè)已注冊(cè)商標(biāo)注冊(cè)在其他類別上不失為一種防御手段。且在我國(guó)著作權(quán)采用登記備案制度,無實(shí)質(zhì)性審查;申請(qǐng)周期短(一般兩個(gè)多月即可下發(fā)證書);費(fèi)用相對(duì)低廉。
Talking about Additional Protection of Registered Well-know Trademark by QQ Dispute Between Tencent and Chery
Tencent QQ is the first instant messaging software in domestic launched by Tencent in the year of 1999, Chery QQ is Chery’s first minicar launched in July,2003. Both of them have high popularity in their own fields. They have been disputing for QQ for such a long time, and for now QQ trademark has been the main aim they are fighting.
Recently, for the dispute between them, the Beijing High People's Court gave No. 1696 final judgment as below: Tencent’s reply to claiming for the legitimacy of judgment from State Administration For Industry & Commerce of the PRC Trademark Review and Adjudication Board(hereinafter referred to as Trademark Review and Adjudication Board), the invalidity of Chery using QQ in car and identifying QQ as a registered well-know trademark in Category 38 for communication services, is lack of legal proof.
Review this event, Tencent had registered “QQ” as a trademark in Category 12 for car etc. in 2005 and approved in 2008.However, it caused dissatisfaction of Chery, which thought the approvement broke the rules of reproduction, imitation, or translation of another’s well-known trademark, an application for registration of a trademark on same or similar goods, infringing upon another party’s existing prior right etc. in Article 13 and Article 32 of Trademark Law of PRC and claimed for cancellation to Trademark Review and Adjudication Board and then got supported. Soon afterwards, Tencent arrested the judgment and appeal Trademark Review and Adjudication Board to the court and Chery appeared as the third party.
According to Article 13 in Trademark Law of PRC: “In the event of an application for registration of a trademark that is a reproduction, imitation, or translation of another’s well-known trademark registered in China on different or dissimilar goods, and consequentially is likely to create confusion and cause damage to the interests of the registrant for the well-known trademark, the application shall be rejected and the trademark shall be prohibited from use.” Tencent QQ has been a well-known trademark before Chery applies QQ, can Chery applies QQ for a trademark though there are not in the same field? How many categories of additional protection can a well-known trademark enjoy? Needn’t it to worry about trademark right to be infringed if an enterprise has a well-known trademark? Trademark battle for “Kangwang” between Dihon Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd and natural person Mr. Chen in Zhejing Province can be the answer to the questions above. Dihon Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd owns the trademark “Kangwang” in traditional Chinese medicine, western medicine etc., which has been recognized as a well-known trademark for several times, Mr. Chen wants to registers “Kangwang” in layettes, socks etc.. Through opposition, reexamination, first and second instance, finally, No. 680 final judgment given by the Beijing High People's Court allows Mr. Chen to register “Kangwang”.
Above all, well-known trademark can enjoy an additional protection in different or dissimilar goods does not mean it can be protected in all categories.
Differences of manufacturing technique, function and usage, distribution channel, target consumer, industry sector and whether misleading to relevant public or damaging the interests of well-known trademark owner should been considered.
How to protect trademark right comprehensively for enterprises under the circumstances of well-known trademark cannot protect all categories? Someone suggested that to register trademarks in all categories in order to protect and defense. It is common in large entities, however, it is hard for medium and small entities because of the huge cost, for example, the government is over 30,000 RMB for 45 categories excluding attorney fee. And under Article 49 of Trademark Law of PRC: “……where a registered trademark has become the generic name of the goods for which its use is approved or has not been in use for three consecutive years without justification, any entity or individual may apply to the Trademark Office for cancellation of the registered trademark ……”.In another word, even though the entity gets trademark certificate for 45 categories, it also may be cancelled for none use in three consecutive years.
How to protect trademark right comprehensively for enterprises? For this, I suggested that original design can apply for copyright registration when apply to register a trademark. According to Article 32 of Trademark Law of PRC: “The application for trademark registration shall not be allowed to harm other person’s prior right……”, copyright, as a prior right, can be a defensive way to prevent others from registering trademarks in other categories. Moreover in China copyright is just recorded (none substantive examination) with shorter application period (usually less than three months) and lower expense.
來源:IPRdaily中文網(wǎng)(IPRdaily.cn)
作者:馬慧敏 北京市商泰律師事務(wù)所
編輯:IPRdaily 趙珍 / 校對(duì):IPRdaily 縱橫君
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