http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/12/russian-entrepreneur-patents-emoticons-
Of all the ridiculous trademark claims we've seen, this one takes the cake.
The BBC reports Oleg Teterin of Russia's Superfone company has been granted a trademark for the emoticon -- that smiley face formed using a colon and a parentheses -- by the Russian federal patent agency.
Teterin:
"Legal use will be possible after buying an annual licence from us," he was quoted by the newspaper Kommersant as saying.
"It won't cost that much - tens of thousands of dollars," added the businessman, who is president of Superfone, a company that sells advertising on mobile phones.
Of all the ridiculous trademark claims we've seen, this one takes the cake.
The BBC reports Oleg Teterin of Russia's Superfone company has been granted a trademark for the emoticon -- that smiley face formed using a colon and a parentheses -- by the Russian federal patent agency.
Teterin:
"Legal use will be possible after buying an annual licence from us," he was quoted by the newspaper Kommersant as saying.
"It won't cost that much - tens of thousands of dollars," added the businessman, who is president of Superfone, a company that sells advertising on mobile phones.
then 
