[jackschultz]

Besides generic software patents, the oddest one I've seen is being able to patent a color. Since Nike has the patent on the color "Maize", Adidas had to come up with a new color for Michigan athletics.

Also, I'm not sure how prevalent it is, but there may be an opportunity for a business of being the go to firm for fighting these trolls. Like the article said, being familiar with the companies and the process makes it easier, and if you could be the go-to firm for fighting them, especially since you would become more desirable the more often you fight the same groups.

[dangrossman]

There is no such patent; no patent assigned to Nike contains the word "maize", and Google finds nothing to corroborate this story but an opinion piece in a Michigan newspaper about a rumored copyright being the reason the team changed its colors. Neither copyright nor patent can give ownership rights in a color.

[HarryHirsch]

Neither copyright nor patent can give ownership rights in a color.

Under EU law one can register a color as a trademark, provided it's a distinguishing mark. I think that's fair. Deutsche Telekom have been using magenta on their outlets ever since they started, people think "Magenta" whenever the name is mentioned, and I guess even you would stop a second if another phone company painted their outlets that color.

[james_madison]

> Neither copyright nor patent can give ownership rights in a color.

A color can be a trademark: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colour_trademark

[sporkologist]

(trademarks and copyrights) ≠ (patents)

[rhizome]

I hadn't heard that one, but Yves Klein patented a color in France 50 years ago:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Klein_Blue

[smsm42]

I think the patent was about the chemical, not the color as a hue. This is essentially the same idea as drug patents.

[nl]

Nike doesn't have a patent on the color Maize.

Many companies have trademarked colors.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colour_trademark and http://au.businessinsider.com/colors-that-are-trademarked-20...