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August 30, 2006

Dell Loses China Trademark Suit

The Beijing News reports that Dell has lost its trademark suit against a Foshan (广东佛山) research institute, which had in 1997 registered a trademark for “德尔,” a transliteration of the Dell name. Dell has long since made use of another Chinese name "戴尔", which, to my ears, sounds rather more attractive. The article in full reads:

戴尔起诉要求撤销“德尔”商标

一中院经审理维持商评委裁定,戴尔一审败诉

  本报讯(记者吕佳瑜 通讯员郭京霞)戴尔公司以其“DELL”商标的中文译名与广东一家研究所注册的“德尔”商标相近似为由,要求国家工商总局商标评审委员会撤销“德尔”商标未果,遂将商评委诉上法庭。北京市一中院近日作出一审判决,驳回戴尔公司的诉讼请求。

  1997年2月,广东佛山兴禅高新技术应用研究所申请注册了“德尔”商标,指定使用的商品为“计算机,电子记分器等”。戴尔公司认为该商标侵犯了戴尔公司的在先企业名称权,于2000年11月29日向商评委提出申请,请求撤销该商标。

  戴尔公司称,其在1991年开始陆续在中国申请注册了“DELL”商标。其产品大规模进入中国市场前就选择“德尔”一词作为其驰名商标 “DELL”的中文音译商标,同时“德尔电脑股份有限公司”也是“DELL”最初进入中国市场时正式使用的商号。2005年,商评委经审理作出裁定,维持了广东的“德尔”商标。

  商评委裁定后,戴尔公司不服,向一中院提起诉讼,请求法院撤销商评委的决定,撤销争议商标注册。

  一中院经审理认为,商评委的决定维持争议商标的结论正确,审理程序亦符合法律规定,驳回原告戴尔公司的诉讼请求。

A reader with a transcript of the judgment (if one there be) is encouraged to send it to me at the email in the right sidebar.

Posted by Richard on August 30, 2006 1:06 PM

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