G.R. No. 161295
June 29, 2005
JESSIE JESSIE G. CHING vs. WILLIAM M. SALINAS, SALINAS, SR., WILLIAM M. SALINAS, SALINAS, JR., JOSEPHINE L. SALINAS, JENNIFER Y. SALINAS, ALONTO ALONTO SOLAIMAN SOLAIMAN SALLE, SALLE, JOHN ERIC I. SALINAS, NOEL NOEL M. YABUT YABUT (Board (Board of !r"#$ors !r"#$ors a%d O"rs of WILAWARE PROUCT CORPORATION' CALLEJO, SR., J. FACTS: Jessie G. Ching is the one! "n# gene!"$ %"n"ge! o& Jeshi'!is ("nu&"'tu!ing ("nu&"'tu!ing Co., the %")e! %")e! "n# %"nu&" %"nu&"'t 'tu! u!e! e! o& " *ti$it *ti$it+ + (o#e$, (o#e$, #es'! #es'!ie ie# # "s -Le"& -Le"& S!ing S!ing E+e /ushing /ushing &o! Auto%oi$e Auto%oi$e-- %"#e u o& $"sti'. $"sti'. On Sete%e! Sete%e! , 2001, Ching Ching "n# C"r$!#a$ #a$"s "s of Co)*r! Co)*r!+ +$$ Joseh u e!e issue# + the N"tion"$ Li!"!+ C"r$! R"+!s$ra$!o% R"+!s$ra$!o% a%d ")os!$ o& the s"i# o!) #es'!ie# the!ein "s -Le"& S!ing E+e /ushing &o! Auto%oi$e.On Sete%e! 20, 2001, Ching !eueste# !eueste# the N"tion"$ /u!e"u o& 3n4estig"tion N/3 a))r""%s!o% s!o% a%d )ros"#-$ )ros"#-$!o% !o% of &o! o$i'e o$i'e7in 7in4es 4estig tig"ti "ti4e 4e "ssis "ssist"n t"n'e 'e &o! the a))r""% !"+a /a%-fa#$-r"rs /a%-fa#$-r"rs, !o#u !o#u'e! 'e!s s "n#7o! "n#7o! #ist!i #ist!iuto uto!s !s o& the o!)s. o!)s. A&te! A&te! #ue in4estig"tion, in4estig"tion, the N/3 8$e# "$i'"tions "$i'"tions &o! s"ar# 0arra%$s !% $" RTC of Ma%!a a+a!%s$ a+a!%s$ W!!a/ W!!a/ Sa!%as, Sa!%as, Sr. "n# "n# the the o'e o'e!s !s "n# "n# %e% %e%e! e!s s o& the the /o"! /o"!# # o& i!e'to i!e'to!s !s o& ;i$""! ;i$""!e e >.1 "n# 1>>.? o& Reu$i' A't R.A. No. @29?. The "$i'"tions sought the sei=u!e o& su'h su'h !o#u !o#u'ts 'ts,, in'$u# in'$u#ing ing the e4i#en e4i#en'e 'e o& s"$e s"$e hi'h hi'h in'$u# in'$u#e e #e$i4e #e$i4e!+ !+ !e'ei !e'eits ts,, in4oi'es "n# o'i"$ !e'eits. RTC g!"nte# issue# the se"!'h "!!"nt &o! the sei=u!e o& the "!ti'$es. The !eson#ents !eson#ents 8$e# " /o$!o% $o 1-as $" s"ar# 0arra%$s on the g!oun# th"t: " the sue't %"tte! o& the !egist!"tions "!e not "!tisti' o! $ite!"!+B the sue't %"tte! o& the !egist!"tions "!e s"!e "!ts o& "uto%oi$es %e"ning the!e si' "!e o!igin"$ "!ts th"t the+ "!e #esigne# to !e$"'e. H"%#", $"* ar" %o$ or!+!%a. The !eson#ents !eson#ents "4e!!e# "4e!!e# th"t the the o!)s 'o4e!e# 'o4e!e# + the 'e!ti8'"tes 'e!ti8'"tes issue# + the N"tion"$ Li!"!+ "!e not "!tisti' in n"tu!eB the+ "!e 'onsi#e!e# "uto%oti4e s"!e "!ts "n# e!t"in to te'hno$og+. The+ "4e! th"t the %o#e$s "!e not o!igin"$, "n# "s su'h "!e the !oe! sue't o& " "tent, not 'o+!ight. On J"nu"!+ ?, 2002, the t!i"$ t!i"$ 'ou!t g!"nte# the %otion %otion to u"sh. The 'ou!t !u$e# th"t the o!) 'o4e!e# + the 'e!ti8'"tes issue# to the etitione! e!t"ine# to so$utions to te'hni'"$ !o$e%s, not $ite!"!+ "n# "!tisti' "s !o4i#e# in A!ti'$e 1>2 o& the 3nte$$e'tu"$
2.1 "n# 1>2.2 o& the 3nte$$e'tu"$ 2 "n# #e!i4"ti4e o!)s Se'. 1>?. The Le"& S!ing E+e /ushing "n# ehi'$e /e"!ing Cushion &"$$ on neithe! '$"ssi8'"tion.
PROOF OF OWNERSHIP OF COPYRIGHT One!shi o& 'o+!ighte# %"te!i"$ is shon + !oo& o& or!+!%a!$* a%d #o)*r!+$a2!!$* . /+ o!igin"$it+ is %e"nt th"t the %"te!i"$ "s not 'oie#, "n# e4i#en'es "t $e"st %ini%"$ '!e"ti4it+B th"t it "s in#een#ent$+ '!e"te# + the "utho! "n# th"t it ossesses "t $e"st s"%e %ini%"$ #eg!ee o& '!e"ti4it+. Se'tion [email protected] o& R.A. No. @29? !o4i#es: " Co+!ight sh"$$ e !esu%e# to susist in the o!) o! othe! sue't %"tte! to hi'h the "'tion !e$"tes i& the #e&en#"nt #oes not ut in issue the uestion hethe! 'o+!ight susists in the o!) o! othe! sue't %"tte!B "n# ;he!e the susisten'e o& the 'o+!ight is est"$ishe#, the $"inti sh"$$ e !esu%e# to e the one! o& the 'o+!ight i& he '$"i%s to e the one! o& the 'o+!ight "n# the #e&en#"nt #oes not ut in issue the uestion o& his one!shi.
A #"r$!#a$" of r"+!s$ra$!o% #r"a$"s %o r"2-$$a2" )r"s-/)$!o% o& 'o+!ight 4"$i#it+ he!e othe! e4i#en'e in the !e'o!# '"sts #out on the uestion. 3n su'h " '"se, 4"$i#it+ i$$ not e !esu%e#. LITERARY WOR3S EFINE SEC. 1>2. Lite!"!+ "n# A!tisti' ;o!)s. 1>2.1. Lite!"!+ "n# "!tisti' o!)s, he!ein"&te! !e&e!!e# to "s -o!)s,- "!e or!+!%a !%$""#$-a #r"a$!o%s in the $ite!"!+ "n# "!tisti' #o%"in !ote'te# &!o% the %o%ent o& thei! '!e"tion . Re$"te# to the !o4ision is Se'tion 1>1.10, hi'h !o4i#es th"t " - 0or4 of a))!"d ar$5 !s a% ar$!s$!# #r"a$!o% ith uti$it"!i"n &un'tions o! in'o!o!"te# in " use&u$ "!ti'$e, hethe! %"#e + h"n# o! !o#u'e# on "n in#ust!i"$ s'"$e.
/ut, "s g$e"ne# &!o% the se'i8'"tions "en#e# to the "$i'"tion &o! " 'o+!ight 'e!ti8'"te 8$e# + the etitione!, the s"i# L"af S)r!%+ E*" B-s!%+ for A-$o/o2!" !s /"r"* a -$!!$* /od" . <$"in$+, these "!e not $ite!"!+ o! "!tisti' o!)s. The+ "!e not inte$$e'tu"$ '!e"tions in the $ite!"!+ "n# "!tisti' #o%"in, o! o!)s o& "$ie# "!t.
USEFUL ARTICLE MAY BE COPYRIGHTABLE 3t e"!s st!essing th"t the &o'us o& 'o+!ight is the use&u$ness o& the "!tisti' #esign, "n# not its %"!)et"i$it+. The 'ent!"$ inui!+ is hethe! the "!ti'$e is " o!) o& "!t. *se&u$ "!ti'$es "!e #e8ne# "s one av!%+ a% !%$r!%s!# -$!!$ar!a% f-%#$!o% th"t is not %e!e$+ to o!t!"+ the "e"!"n'e o& the "!ti'$e o! to 'on4e+ in&o!%"tion. 3n#ee#, hi$e o!)s o& "$ie# "!t, o!igin"$ inte$$e'tu"$, $ite!"!+ "n# "!tisti' o!)s "!e 'o+!ight"$e, -s"f- ar$!#"s a%d 0or4s of !%d-s$r!a d"s!+% ar" %o$ . A use&u$ "!ti'$e %"+ e 'o+!ight"$e on$+ i& "n# on$+ to the etent th"t su'h #esign in'o!o!"tes i'to!i"$, g!"hi', o! s'u$tu!"$ &e"tu!es th"t '"n e i#enti8e# se"!"te$+ &!o%, "n# "!e '""$e o& eisting in#een#ent$+ o& the uti$it"!i"n "se'ts o& the "!ti'$e. 3t e"!s st!essing th"t the!e is no 'o+!ight !ote'tion &o! o!)s o& "$ie# "!t o! in#ust!i"$ #esign hi'h h"4e "estheti' o! "!tisti' &e"tu!es th"t '"nnot e i#enti8e# se"!"te$+ &!o% the uti$it"!i"n "se'ts o& the "!ti'$e. Fun'tion"$ 'o%onents o& use&u$ "!ti'$es, no %"tte! ho "!tisti'"$$+ #esigne#, h"4e gene!"$$+ een #enie# 'o+!ight !ote'tion un$ess the+ "!e se"!"$e &!o% the use&u$ "!ti'$e.
UTILITY MOEL EFINE A uti$it+ %o#e$ is a $"#%!#a so-$!o% $o a )ro2"/ !% a%* "d of -/a% a#$!v!$* hi'h is ne "n# in#ust!i"$$+ "$i'"$e. 3t %"+ e, o! %"+ !e$"te to, " !o#u't, o! !o'ess, o! "n i%!o4e%ent o& "n+ o& the "&o!es"i#. Essenti"$$+, " uti$it+ %o#e$ !e&e!s to "n in4ention in the %e'h"ni'"$ 8e$#.
UTILITY MOEL 6S. IN6ENTION A uti$it+ %o#e$ 4"!ies &!o% "n in4ention, &o! hi'h " "tent &o! in4ention is, $i)eise, "4"i$"$e, on "t $e"st th!ee "se'ts: 8!st, the !euisite o& -in4enti4e ste- in " "tent &o! in4ention is not !eui!e#B se'on#, the %"i%u% te!% o& !ote'tion is on$+ se4en +e"!s 'o%"!e# to " "tent hi'h is tent+ +e"!s, oth !e')one# &!o% the #"te o& the "$i'"tionB "n# thi!#, the !o4isions on uti$it+ %o#e$ #isense ith its sust"nti4e e"%in"tion "n# !e&e! &o! " $ess 'o%$i'"te# s+ste%.
COPYRIGHT H is u!e$+ " st"tuto!+ !ight. 3t is " ne o! in#een#ent !ight g!"nte# + the st"tute, "n# not si%$+ " !eHeisting !ight !egu$"te# + it. TRAEMAR3 7is "n+ 4isi$e sign '""$e o& #istinguishing the goo#s t!"#e%"!) o! se!4i'es se!4i'e %"!) o& "n ente!!ise "n# sh"$$ in'$u#e " st"%e# o! %"!)e# 'ont"ine! o& goo#s.
TRAE NAMEH the n"%e o! #esign"tion i#enti&+ing o! #istinguishing "n ente!!ise. COPYRIGHT H is 'on8ne# to $ite!"!+ "n# "!tisti' o!)s hi'h "!e o!igin"$ inte$$e'tu"$ '!e"tions in the $ite!"!+ "n# "!tisti' #o%"in !ote'te# &!o% the %o%ent o& thei! '!e"tion. PATENTABLE IN6ENTIONH !e&e! to "n+ te'hni'"$ so$ution o& " !o$e% in "n+ 8e$# o& hu%"n "'ti4it+ hi'h is ne, in4o$4es "n in4enti4e ste "n# is in#ust!i"$$+ "$i'"$e. WOR3S OF ARTH *S Digh Cou!t in'$u#es o!)s o& "!tisti' '!"&ts%"nshi, in so &"! "s thei! &o!% ut not thei! %e'h"ni'"$ o! uti$it"!i"n "se'ts "!e 'on'e!ne#, su'h "s "!tisti' ee$!+, en"%e$s, g$"ss"!e, "n# t"est!ies, "s e$$ "s "$$ o!)s e$onging to the 8ne "!ts, su'h "s "intings, #!"ings "n# s'u$tu!e.