Since April 15, a priority registration period has been set for trademark owners to register their trademarks under the new gTLD “.FROGANS”.
OP3FT, a non-profit organization, launched a new type of site on the Internet under the Frogans technology, called Frogans sites.
These sites are based on a new software layer designed as an easy-to-use platform for publishing content.
Access to these websites will be given through Frogans addresses, which are easy to remember and comparable to domain names.
These addresses are composed of the Network Name and the Site Name, separated by an asterisk (*), in the following format: NetworkName*SiteName.
Each Frogans address belongs to a Frogans network, which can be of three types:
- Dedicated Frogans Networks: to be used on the Internet under a customizable network name;
- Public Frogans Networks: to be used on the Internet under the network name “frogans”;
- Internal Frogans Networks: to be used in an intranet under the network name “intranet”.
For example, a Frogans address could be: Intranet*Dreyfus.
Frogans sites can be read in a dedicated browser called Frogans Player. Their shape is not primarily defined and they are small enough to be loaded even with low data connection or on low capacity devices.
This feature will be cost-effective for both consumers and website developers as the Frogans site will be available in one single version for every platform or device and even for the low-end ones.
Frogans sites are also multilingual, as the addresses may contain international characters they can be written in more than 170 languages, either from right to left or otherwise. This feature was important for the developers in particular in view of opening the Frogans technology to the Asian market.
The aim of Frogans technology is to make Internet sites easier to use and elaborate for the average consumer and developer-to-be, and to allow them to express their creativity. These new sites will also allow their owners to have full control of their content thanks to its unique display and therefore provide them with more security.
Since April 15, 2015, the priority registration period for registering Frogans addresses has been opened to trademark holders for a period of two months, closing June 15, 2015.
The allocation of the addresses is based on a “first come first served” principle, and initial registration periods can go from 1 to 10 year/s.
To be accepted into the process, the trademarks must be either registered with (i) a national office, such as the NIIP for France or USPTO for the United States, (ii) a regional office, such as OHIM or OAPI or (iii) the international office of WIPO, or be unregistered, provided that they are either validated by a Court decision or protected by a statute or a treaty.
The following types of trademarks are not eligible for Frogans addresses:
- Figurative or sounds trademarks;
- Unregistered trademarks;
- Trademarks registered with local or federated state offices;
- Cancelled, opposed, invalidated, corrected trademarks;
- Trademarks still in process of registration.
The availability of Frogans addresses can be checked through the WhoIs database, which provides information on the FCR account administrator or trademark holders dedicated to a Frogans network. This system therefore blocks access to reserved terms.
A list of all the Frogans addresses can also be downloaded for further research.
During this priority period, a specific UDRP procedure (UDRP-F) in relation to the use of legal recourses against cyber-squatters is made available to trademark owners.
With this system, it can be asked to check the legitimate ownership of a trademark that is used in a Frogans address and that can infringe owners’ rights.
It is also possible to generate a report of abuse that can lead to the cancellation of the Dedicated Frogans Network if the said party succeeds in showing evidence of trademark ownership.
The priority period for trademark owners will end on June 15th 2015 after which there will be a registration phase dedicated to entrepreneurs for a new period of two months, before Frogans technology is open to the general public by the end of 2015.
Dreyfus can assist you in registering a Frogans address during this priority period, and will consider the best strategy to promote and protect your trademarks in this new gTLD.