IP Savior

Yet another patent troll wants to get paid by Samsung. Tau Ceti Ventures LLC has filed a lawsuit against Samsung in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, alleging that the company infringed upon ten of its patents relating to making displays brighter, preventing screen burn-in, improving battery life, and reducing manufacturing costs.

Samsung allegedly used the infringing display technology in the Galaxy S25, Galaxy Z Flip7, Galaxy Watch8, Galaxy Tab A9+, Galaxy Book4, and a whole range of smart TVs and monitors. Tau Ceti claims that Samsung was aware of the patents or intentionally ignored their existence, which is quite a claim - so either it knew about them, or it deliberately didn't want to, whatever that means.

Anyway, Tau Ceti naturally concludes that the infringement was willful. Thus, it is requesting that the court issue a ruling on the infringement and award it damages. Tau Ceti also wants Samsung to pay for its legal fees. The patent troll has recently filed similar lawsuits against LG and HP.

A patent troll is a company that buys patents and then sues other companies for infringing upon them, without actually making any products or providing any services based on the patents it holds. So from that point of view, Tau Ceti Ventures LLC is just doing what it should be doing - what it was created to do.

https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_gets_sued_by_another_patent_troll_trying_to_make_a_quick_buck-news-73470.php

GSMArena - 26 June 2026

Samsung gets sued by another patent troll trying to make a quick buck This time it's about display-related patents that Samsung is said to have willfully infringed. Yet another patent troll wants to get paid by Samsung. Tau...

India’s landmark ruling against Google’s practice of allowing advertisers to bid on competitors’ trademarked keywords is triggering reactions throughout the country’s advertising industry.

Lawyers told The Current that brand owners are increasingly seeking advice on whether they too have grounds to challenge the search giant after the Delhi High Court found Google liable for trademark infringement in a dispute involving bathroom-fittings-maker Hindware in May. The ruling held that allowing competitors to bid on trademarked terms could divert consumer traffic and dilute brand value, leading to new questions about long-standing search advertising practices.

The judgment, which awarded Hindware ₹30 lakh (roughly $31,000) in damages and restrained Google from using the trademark as a keyword, has prompted companies to reassess both their legal options and digital advertising strategies.

Indian brands begin questioning competitor keyword bidding
“The decision has triggered a noticeable increase in strategic consultations from brand owners, particularly those with significant investments in consumer-facing brands and digital acquisition channels,” said Ronil Goger, managing partner at IP-law firm Blaze Legal. “Many are reassessing whether competitor keyword bidding has eroded the value of their trademarks and whether enforcement action is now commercially viable.”

Brokerage giant Zerodha’s founder Nithin Kamath said on X that the ruling could open a route for legal recourse for brands that have long struggled with competitors bidding on their trademarks.

Shaadi.com founder and People Group CEO Anupam Mittal and Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu have similarly applauded the decision, arguing that competitor keyword bidding unfairly captures traffic and intent generated by brand owners.

What’s next
Lawyers say the implications could extend beyond India, with Goger describing the ruling as part of a broader international debate around brand protection, fair competition and platform accountability.

Alay Razvi, managing partner at Accord Juris, said, “Brands are particularly concerned about whether rivals can still bid on their trademarks, while advertisers are seeking clarity on compliant keyword practices.”

Razvi added that Google is widely expected to appeal what he described as India’s first final trial-stage ruling holding the company liable for keyword trademark infringement, “making it a significant precedent.”

Meanwhile, some advertisers appear to be adjusting their behavior already. Amit Verma, founder of performance marketing agency DigitUp, said he’s aware that brands across categories have begun scrubbing competitor keywords from campaigns following the ruling.

While Verma said he had not seen any significant change in advertising costs as yet, the fact that “removing is happening” suggests marketers are taking a cautious approach while they assess the legal and commercial implications of the judgment.

https://www.thecurrent.com/marketing/indian-brands-weigh-legal-action-court-rules-against-google-keyword-dispute

the Current - June 24, 2026

Indian brands weigh legal action after court rules against Google in keyword dispute The ruling may open legal recourse for brands that have long struggled with competitors bidding on their trademarks.

A draft amendment to China’s Trademark Law was submitted on Tuesday to the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the country’s top legislature, for its second deliberation, with enhanced measures to crack down on misleading trademark practices and better protect consumer rights.

The revision targets so-called “tricky trademarks” that are designed to resemble product ingredients or production processes, misleading consumers and disrupting the trademark administration order.

Under the proposed amendment, using a registered trademark in a way that misleads the public could result in fines of up to five times the illegal business turnover if the amount exceeds 50,000 yuan (about 7,342 U.S. dollars), or up to 250,000 yuan if the turnover is below that threshold.

“This strengthens the consumer protection orientation,” said Ma Yide, dean of the School of Intellectual Property at the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, calling for supporting mechanisms to enhance consumer education and awareness.

The draft also takes aim at malpractice by trademark agencies, including malicious registrations and hoarding of trademarks for resale.

It requires trademark agencies and their practitioners to register their information with the trademark administration department under the State Council, a move that experts say signals stronger oversight.

“The difficulty in regulating the trademark agency market lies in the uneven quality of practitioners and inadequate industry self-regulation,” said Guan Yuying, a researcher at the Institute of Law of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. “This revision sends a clear signal of stronger regulation,” Guan noted.

In response to the rise of the digital economy, the draft explicitly states that trademark use includes use via the internet and other information networks.

Experts note that online platforms, social media and even virtual spaces like the metaverse have become key arenas for product promotion and consumer decision-making, and the revision is a timely response to these commercial developments.

To tighten the gateway for trademark registration, the draft provides more detailed provisions on signs that cannot be registered or used as trademarks.

It clarifies that national park emblems, Olympic symbols and other special signs shall be governed by the Trademark Law and relevant laws and regulations.

The draft also strengthens protection for Chinese companies’ overseas rights. It stipulates that those who use fraudulent or other improper means to handle overseas trademark registrations for domestic clients, harming the clients’ interests or national and public interests, shall be dealt with according to the law.

Further regulating overseas squatting will help safeguard the legitimate overseas interests of Chinese enterprises and foster a business environment with coordinated domestic and international development, Guan said.

There were more than 4.2 million trademarks registered on the Chinese mainland last year, while the total number of effectively registered trademarks had exceeded 49.87 million by 2025.

https://macaubusiness.com/china-seeks-improved-consumer-protection-via-tougher-trademark-law/

MACAU BUSINESS - June 24, 2026