DirecTV loses 4K legal claim
January 22, 2014
By Chris Forrester
The US Patent Office has denied DirecTV’s application to register a number of 4K trademarks. Advanced-Television first reported DirecTV’s intention back on February 28th 2013, when the broadcaster applied for 4K, 4KN, 4KNET, 4K Network and 4KNetwork
The Patent Office has denied some of the applications but says the 4KNet, and 4KN application might create confusion. DirecTV has evidently abandoned its request to trademark 4K Network and 4K (which will please Sony which extensively uses ‘4K’ in its promotional activity).
There is already at least one clash given that a Houston, Texas, computer company has successfully registered 4K Computer which includes coverage of “television programming” in the trademark filing.
It is not clear whether DirecTV intends going ahead with its other trademark applications, which cost the grand sum of £149 per application to file.