ADT Alleges "Theft of ADT Property" By Amazon Ring, Then Settles Lawsuit
ADT has teamed with Google, with Amazon / Ring being a major competitor. Now, ADT has issued a press release and a lawsuit against Ring. However, ADT settled and dismissed the lawsuit a few months later.
ADT described it as an "open theft". The item alleged stolen is ADT's yard sign design.
Is this really theft? Inside this note, IPVM analyzes the complaint, ADT's case, and precedents for such legal contests.
ADT **** ****
** ***** **, ****,*** ***** * **-**** *********** ******* ***** **** *** "**************** of ***'* ****** **** *******":
Design **** "*****"
** **** *********, *** ******* ****'* use ** * **** ******* *** its**** ***** ******* ********, *** ********** *** ****'* *** yard ****, ** *****:
**** *** ********** ******* **** *****—*** theft ** ***’* ****** **** *******—******* to **** * ********** *** ***** to ********* ********* **** ** *** not ******.
*** ***** ***** *** ******** ** ADT ** *** ********* ** **** the ************ ******* ****'* **** ********* outdoor ***** *** ***'* **** ****.
*** ********** ******* ***'* **** **** and ****'* ***** ** **** *** siren ****** **** ** ***** ** triggered, ** ****'* ********* ***** ************ below:
ADT **** **** ******* ****** ****
*** **** * ******** ********** *** a **** ******* **** * **** white ****** ****** ** ****** **** has ******:
- ************* *.*. ***. **. *,***,***
- ************* *.*. ***. **. *,***,***
- ************* *.*. ***. **. *,***,***
- ************* *.*. ***. **. *,***,***
[***** ***** ******* **** ***********, ** to **** *** ******** ********* *************, visit********* ********** ****** ********* ***** * ******** ****** *****.]
*** ******** *********** ** *** ********* reads:
*** *****(*) **** *** ***** **/*** claimed ** * ******* ** *** mark. *** **** ******** ** ** octagon. *** ***** **** ******* ** the ****** ** *** ****** *** in *** ********* ******. *** ***** white ******* ** *** ******** ******.
********* '*** ** *** **** *** to ******* *** ***** ** ****,******* ***:
*** **** ** ** ********* ****** design ** *** ***** ******* *** blue.
********* '***, *** ******** ********** *** of *** *, ********* ** ***, has **** ** ********** *** ***** June ****.
*** *** ********** ******* ***** * closely ******* ********** ** *** '***** goods *** ********' **** **** ******** mark ******* **, *.*., ************, **** and ******* *****, ** ******** ******* monitoring ********.
Ring *** ** **** ******* ******** ******, *** *******
** ******** **** *** ******* ** a "********* *****************" ****, **** ** attempting ** "******* *** ******" **** believing *** *** **** *** **********, ADT *******:
** * ****** ****, **** ******** adopted * ****virtually ***************** from ADT’s Blue Octagon Mark to advertise, promote, and sell its security offerings...
****’* ******** *** *** ** ***’* inherently *********** *** ****-***** **** ******* Mark ** ** ******* ** ***** off ** ***’* ******** *** ********** and **deceive *** ****** into believing that Ring’s goods and services are connected with ADT and/or that Ring is providing goods and services in partnership with ADT.
*** ****** ****'* *** ** *** blue ******* **** "***** *********" *** the ******:
****’* ************ *** ** ***’* ****** Blue *******will ***** ********* **** ***’* *********, ********* ********* *** *** ****** ** *****, and will cause them to mistakenly believe that there is an affiliation or association between Ring and ADT.
*** **** ********* **** ******* *** and **** *** ********, ** **** Ring ******** *** *** ********, ** a ****** ** ****'* *** ** a **** *******:
****’* *** ** ***’* ****** **** Octagon **** ******* ********* ** ******* that **** ** ******** ** ***/** partnering **** ***, ** **** ***** consumers ** ******* **** ****’* ******** are ******* *** ******** ****, ** fact, **** *** ***.
**** ********* **** **** "********* *** goodwill **** *** *** **********" *** "irreparably **** ***":
**** **** ** ********* ********* ********** the ******** **** *** *** ********** in *** ****** **** ******* *** irreparably ***** ***.
8 ***** ********** **** *** ****
***** *** ***** ** ********** ** their *********, *** ***** * ********** are *** *** ********** ** ***'* wordmark, *.*. ***** ** *** *****. We ** *** *** * ********** case ** *** *** ******* '****' would ** ******** **** *** ******* 'ADT'. ** ****, *** ***** ** the **** ** ****** ** *** color *** ***** ** *** *****.
Precedent *****
***** *** **** *** ********** *** the **** *******, *** ******** *** have ** ******** ******* ********* *** differing **** ******* ****'* *** ***'* design *** ******* ********* *** ***** confused ** ****'* *** ** * blue *******.
* **** ************ **** *. ******* *********** ****.******** ****** **** * ********* ******** **** ********* ********* ************:
- *** ******** ** *** ****.
- *** ****** ** ********** ******* *** two *****.
- *** ********* ** *** ********/********.
- *** ********** **** *** ***** ***** will ****** *** ***.
- ****** *********.
- *** *********'* **** ***** ** ******** its *** ****.
- *** ******* ** *** *********'* *******.
- *** ************** ** *** ******.
*** ******** ****** ********** ********** ************ ******* *****, ************ stating **** ** * **** ********* of **** ******* *** ******, *** wording ***** ******* **** ******:
** * **** ********* **** ******* and * ******, ******* ****** ** often ***** ** *** *******, ******* it ** *** ******* **** ********** would *** ** ***** ** ** request *** ***** ** ********
** *** *** *. **** ****, "RING" ** *** **** ******* ** Ring's **** *******, ***** ** ******* different **** "***" *** ***** *** be **** ** "***".
***** **** ********* ************ ** *** marks, ** ****** **** ** ******** "whether ********* *** ****** ** ** confused" ** * *** ******* **** trademark ************ *******,********* ** * ******* *** *********** *** ******** ** **** ************. The **** ** ** *** ********* to ******* ****** ******* **** ***** prove ** *** ***** ********* *** truly ******** ** ******* **********.********* ** ********, ***** ******* *** "**** ** break ** ************ ****" *** *** sway ******* ** ****** **** ********* on *** **** *** **********. ***'* complaint ****** **** ********* **** ******* Ring's ********/******** *** ***'*, *** *** must ******** *** ***** ******* **** is ******** ****.
Ring ****, ******* ***
*** ******* **** **** **** **** infringing ***'* ****** **** ******* (*) Ring *** ********* ******* ** **** before ********** *** ***** *** (*) ADT**** **** * ******** **** *** ******* *** ** the **** ******* *-**** ***** ** filing ** ******** *********.
**** ******** **** ***** (***** ****) in **** ***** *** ****** "*********** similar ** ***'* ****** **** *******". Concerned ***** *** "********* ** *** public" **** ********** ***** *****, *** "reached *** ** ****" ** **** appropriate *****. **** ********** ******* *** coloring ** *** **** **** ** make *** ****** */* **** ****** than **** (***** *****).
***** ** ****** **** *********, ******* **** * ******** ***** **, **** ********* *** company ** *** "************" *** ** the **** *******.
*** ****** ******** **** **** *** its ****** ******** "***** *** ***" of *** **** *******, ******* *** materials **** *** *** ****, *** count ** *** *** ***** ** products **** *** **** *** ****. ADT ******** **** ** ****** ** writing ****** * **** **** *** company ***** ******. ***'* ********* ***** no ******* ** *** ******** **** Ring.
Commercial ***********
** ***** **, ****, *********** * ***** ************** ** *** ******* * "********* suit ******* ******'* ****."
***** **** ************ **** ******** ******* conjoined ***** *********, ***'* ******* **** show *** *********** ******* *** ********* ADT *** *** ******* **** ** intense *** **** *** ***** *** public ** **** **** ** **** be ******** ******** ****.
ADT / **** ******
** **** **, ****, ******** ** ******* *** *********, ********* * ********** **** ****. The ***** ** *** ********** **** not **** **** ******.
Vote / ****
** *** ***** **** *** ** use * **** *******? **** ***** have **** * **** ****** *** differentiating ********** ****. * ***** **** did ******* ***'* ********** *** * hope **** *** ** ****** ***** logo ******* ** ************ ***'* ****** blue ******* ****.
**** ** *****, **** *** ****? Why *** * **** *****.... ******
****, *** ******** ******* ******** **** is *** **** ****, ******** *** but ********* ** ****:
*** **** *** *** ******* ** blue *** **'* ********** **** ****** would *********** **** ** ******* ** security (** *** ***...) **** ****** ADT **** **.
***, *** ***** * ** ******* about ** **** ********** **** ** have * **** ******* **** ****, e.g. *****:
*** *** **********'* ****** ***** ** offering * ******-****** ***:
*** **** *** ** ** **** changed.
* ********* *** ******* ***** **** stop *****, *** *** ** ****. As * ********, ** ******* *** asked ** ***** ******* * ********** a **** ******* ****, * ***** have ******** "****". * **** ***** based **** ** **** ******* ** on ** **** *** *****, **** only * **** *** ******* ********** where *** ******* ** **** ****** and *********** (**** ** *****'* ***** trademark **** ** ********'* *********** "*" logo).
*** **** ***** ** *** *.*. Patent *** ********* ****** ******** * trademark ** *** ******* (**** ****) shape. **** *****'* **** *****.
*** *******, *** ****** *****, ******* to **** *********** *** ****** ** change **, ** ****** *** **** used ***** ** *** ******** ********. While ***** *** **** **********, **** are *** *** **** ******* ***** it.
***, *** *** ******* *** **** octagon *********, *** *** *********** ********* that *** ******* ** **** ** the **********:
*** *****(*) **** *** ***** **/*** claimed ** * ******* ** *** mark. *** **** ******** ** ** octagon. *** ***** **** ******* ** the ****** ** *** ****** *** in *** ********* ******. *** ***** white ******* ** *** ******** ******.
*******, *** **** ****** **** *****'* include *** ****, ** *** *********** might **** **** ** *** **** that ****'* **** **** "****" *** that ** *********** ********** ** *** up **** "***".
* ****** ** **********'* ********** ********** in *** ***** ******** *** *************, it ***** **** **** ** *** own * ********** *** ***** ****** design. *, ***, ****** **** *** rationale *** **** *** ***** *** granting * ***** ********* ***** ** a ********** ** * *******...
********,
* *****.
****, ** *** ****** *** "******", many **** **** ******* ********** ** shield *****, *** **** *** **** with *******. ******* ** **** *** shield ***** **** ******* * *********.
** ****.....**** ******** ***** *********** **** to **** ** * ******* ***** the ***** ******* **** ***** ** mind **** *** ***'* *** *******, is " *** **** ******** ********** themselves ***** ******** ** **** *** kids ** *** ******* ** ** own ****?" **** ****** **** ** be "**** ****"? **** *** *** they" **** ******* ******** ******* *** other ******* ******** ** ***** ***********..."
**** **** **...
* ** ********* ****-***... *** * am ****** *********** ** **** **** a ***** ****.
******.
***** *** *** *** **** ********* Isabella. ***********!
************'* ********** ***** ******** ** ***** from * ******, *****, ****** * **** ******* ADT's ********* ** *** **** *******:
*** *** ********* * *****? **** did. * ****** ** ****** *** didn’t ***** ****** *** *******’* ******** made ** **********. *** ****’* ****** the **** ****. *’* ****** ******* they ****’* ****** *** ***** ****. They ********** ****’* ****** *** ******** yard **** ** ***** ** * residence. (***** ****** ** ********** *** in *** ****’*) *** ****** ******** the ******** ***** ** *** ****’*. The ******** **** **** ******** ********** they ******** ****** ******* ** ******* non-subscriber ***. ****** ******** ******** ******** placing ***** ******* *** - ** all ******, **** ********* ****** **** signs ** ********* ***** ** *** 1980’s. ********** *******, * **** ****** alarm ******* *** **** * **** octagonal **** ***** *** **’* ** well. **** *** ***** *** *** leading ******** **** *************. ********* ****** signs *** *** ** **** ******** shapes. ****, ***** ** ***** ** promote ******** ** ****** *** ******* also ******* ** ********* ** **** of *** ******** **** ****** **** the ***** ***. *** ************, **** is *** ** *** **** ****** choices ** **** ***** ******.******* ******** ***** - ***** ******** *****
******** *** * ****** ******** **** returns **** ******** ** *** ***** matches:
******: ** **** **, ****, ******** ** ******* *** *********, ********* * ********** **** ****. The ***** ** *** ********** **** not **** **** ******.
**** *** ************ **** *******, ******** to*** ********** **** ********* ** **:
**** **** ******* * *** ******* of *** ******* ***** ******* *** will *********** *** ********* *** **** of *** ******* ******
***/***, *** *** ******* **** **** using * **** ******* ******.
*** ******* ******* ***** ************ ******:*** * *********** "***" * *****? - *** ******, *******:
** *** *********, *****-******* *** ****** ***** *********** from ***** ********** ********** *********. ** the ****, *** ******** **** *** same “************” ***; ** *********** ******, *****-******* decided ** ****** ***** ******* **** dye.
*** *** **** ** *****, *** company **** *** ******************** ** * ********* ****: ** adopted *** ****** “***** ****,” **** the **** ******* ** * ******, and ********* ** ******** ** ****************** *** *****.
******, ***** * *-**** ***** ******, Owens-Corning ****** *** ***** ******* ** American ******* ** ************ ********* * color.
* ***** ****** *** *********** ***** only ****** ** *** *** ** insulation ********.
***, ****** ****'* ***** ** ***** for ****** **** *** ***** **********.
******* **** *** *********** ********* *** trademark ** *** *****. *******, **** if *** ******* *****, **** *** obviously ****** ** ***** ** ******* it ** ********. **** ***** **** used * ******, *********, ******, ** even * ******* *** ***** ***** but * **** ** ******* **** intentionally ***** *** ******* ******* *** ADT **** ** ****-*****.