Intellectual Property Assignments, Spring 2024

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ASSIGNMENTS (SPRING 2024)

WEEK 1 – JAN. 8 & 10

MONDAY, JAN. 8 (class 1): Intro to IP

• Note: today’s assignment was rescheduled to Jan. 10 per email notification

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 10 (class 1): Intro to IP

• Discussion leader: Professor
• The syllabus and initial assignments will be posted shortly. The casebook is available for $30 at this link (electronic), or for $74 on Amazon at this link (print). If you cannot afford to purchase it, you can get a freeride copy of the electronic casebook (bottom of purchase page for the electronic book). You are not required to have a printed casebook, so I urge you to obtain the copy that you believe will work best for you.
• The assignment for today, is pages 1-28 of the casebook.

WEEK 2 – JAN. 15 & 17

MONDAY, JAN. 15 (no class): MLK Day

• No classes, MLK Day

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 17 (class 2): Patents: Intro, reading a patent

• Discussion leader: Professor
• CB 129-152. Be sure to read OXO patent carefully.
• Do this (note that the OXO patent can be found in either the casebook or via the link provided).
• Re TPQs and class leaders/discussants:
  • For today, everybody should upload at least one (1) TPQ (thought-provoking question) to the Canvas site at this link. Tie the question to today’s readings and exercise. I would like to give you feedback so you should upload your TPQ at least 24 hours prior to the beginning of the 1/17 class.
  • Starting with class # 3 (that’ll be the class after this class), I will assign each person a different day to be TPQ leader. For your assigned day, you will need to upload at least 2-3 TPQs to this link. If you know of any days this semester you’ll be absent please email me prior to today’s class so I know not to schedule you for a conflicted day. However, once you are assigned a day it is your responsibility to be there and to lead. Should something come up, it is your responsibility to find a classmate to swap with (and please notify us both via email).
  • Here are some tips on drafting TPQs:
    • Don’t ask a vague question or one vaguely connected to the readings; instead, tie your questions into today’s readings, so give some real thought to this. That means, don’t do the readings at the last minute, either. Starting next week, each of you will serve as TPQ leaders and will be doing this as part of your Leader class participation score.
    • Examples of good TPQs are:
      • Original hypos you create based on the readings.
      • Examples taken from current events, current disputes, or something interesting that sheds light on the readings.
      • Questions that challenge the policies or theoretical foundations underlying IP rules.
      • Questions that show unintended or undesirable consequences of IP rules.
    • Examples of bad TPQs are:
      • What did the court decide?
      • What is the rule?
      • What do you think about what the court did, said, etc.?
      • Do you agree with the requirement of novelty?