It is no doubt true that consumers are capable of recognizing the distinctive character of a product’s shape, to the extent that they may even be confused as to the origin of two identically shaped products which bear different word marks. Hence, registration of three-dimensional marks such as a product shape or its packaging should not be denied on the assumption that the public needs to be educated to see them as trade marks. Where the shape possesses special characteristics and the public perceives such shape as departing from the usual and expected shape of the category of the product concerned, it can neither be held to be part of the public domain nor denied registration. These special characteristics may be achieved through an application to the respective product shape or its packaging of two-dimensional features such as verbal or figurative elements and colours necessary to trigger a special impression produced by the three dimensional architecture. However, whether a product configuration mark can ever be considered inherently distinctive or must have acquired secondary meaning is somewhat vague and unsettled, as will be discussed herein. This article will discuss the level of inherent distinctiveness and acquired distinctiveness necessary to protect product configurations as trademarks. Finally, this article will provide guidelines and suggestions to help our 3-dimensional mark protection policy for a product’s configuration under current trademark law.
목차
I. 서론 II. 한국 상표법에 의한 제품 형태의 보호 1. 상표법 일반 2. 국내에서의 사례 3. 소결 III. 유럽 및 독일 상표법에 의한 제품 형태의 보호 1. 개요 2. 사용상표의 보호 3. 제품 형태의 보호 4. 소결 IV. 결론 참고문헌
키워드
제품 형태식별력입체상표출처표시상표권 침해product’s shapedistinctivenessthree-dimensional markfunction of indicating origintrademark infringements.
저자
박영규 [ Park, Young-Gyu | 명지대학교 법과대학 부교수(Dr. jur.). ]
본 학회는 지식재산 및 관련 제도(특허, 실용신안, 상표, 디자인, 영업비밀, 저작권, 반도체칩, 컴퓨터프로그램, 데이터베이스, 디지털콘텐츠 등)에 관한 국내외 이론과 실무에 대한 연구를 촉진하여 지식재산분야의 학문간 융합발전과 국제적 유대를 강화하고, 지식재산에 관한 지식을 보급하여 인적 네트워크 구축과 정책제언을 추진하며 이를 통해 국가발전에 이바지하는 것을 목적으로 한다.