APP名称的商标侵权认定探析——基于36例典型案件的实证研究

Analysis on the Identification of Trademark Infringement of APP Name:An Empirical Study Based on 36 Typical Cases

近年来,由APP名称引发的商标侵权案件频发,而APP同时具有的商品属性和工具属性使得APP名称商标侵权认定趋于复杂。笔者运用案例实证研究方法,并结合我国商标法的法律规定与基本理论,对APP名称的法律性质及商标侵权认定进行研究,认为APP名称是具有识别商品和服务来源功能的商业标识,判断商标侵权时应将商标性使用作为判断的前置性条件,特别需要判断APP名称所识别的是软件类商品的来源还是相关服务的来源;商品类似性的判断应透过APP作为软件类商品的表象,从整体上探求其实质;商标近似性判断要在比对对象隔离的状态下分别进行整体和主要部分比对,关注注册商标的显著性和知名度;在商品相同且标识相同时,无需判断混淆可能性,但其他情形,需结合涉案注册商标的知名度和使用情况、被告的主观状况等判断是否容易造成混淆。

In recent years, trademark infringement cases caused by APP name occurr frequently, and the commodity attributes and tool attributes of the APP have made the identification of the trademark infringement caused by APP name more complicated.The author uses the case empirical research methods, combining with the legal provisions and basic theories of China’s Trademark Law, to study the legal nature of APP name and trademark infringement identification.The author concludes that the APP name is a commercial logo with the function of identifying the source of goods and services.When judging the trademark infringement, the trademark use should be used as the precondition for judging and it is especially necessary to judge whether the APP name identifies the source of the software commodity or the source of the related services.The judgment of commodity similarity should neglect the appearance of the APP as a software commodity and explore the essence as a whole.The judgment of trademark approximation should compare the whole and the main parts respectively under the condition of object isolation and pay attention to the distinctiveness and fame of the trademark. When it comes to the same commodity and the same identification, there is no need to judge the possibility of confusion,while in other cases, it is necessary to judge whether the confusion is caused by the popularity and use of the registered trademarks and the subjective status of the defendant.