PRESS RELEASE
Official G.S. Altshuller Foundation
www.altshuller.ru

12.12.04,
N 010121204

THE TRADEMARK "ТРИЗ TRIZ" IS ABOLISHED

The trademark "ТРИЗ TRIZ" was abolished by the Board for Patent Disputes on Trademark "ТРИЗ TRIZ" (certificate of registration No. 251307), previously registered in the name of public association "MATRIZ" (International TRIZ Association), Petrozavodsk, Russia (President Rubin M.S.) is abolished.
 
The decision was made on December 8, 2004 by the "Board for Patent Disputes of the Federal Executive Agency for intellectual property of the Russian Federation". The decision was made based on an Objection against protection of this trademark filed by the successors to copyrights of Genrikh Saulovich Altshuller [10.15.1926-09.24.1998] ( www.altshuller.ru/biography in Russian), the creator of the theory of inventive problem solving (ТРИЗ/TRIZ): a noted science-fiction writer and Altshuller’s widow Valentina Nikolaevna Zhuravleva [07.17.1933-03.12.2004] and Yuna Evgenievna Komarcheva (www.altshuller.ru/world/eng/vested.asp).

In the objection it was pointed out that the registration of the trademark "ТРИЗ TRIZ" was put into practice in violation of current laws: Civil Code of Russian Federation (RF), RF law "On trademarks, service marks and place of origin of goods", as well as Paris Convention on protection of industrial property.
 
However, G.S. Altshuller was of the opinion that TRIZ monopolization is inadmissible, that TRIZ, as scientific creation, must belong to the entire humankind, that it should have no borders, and that it is impossible for a single entity to hold the only true standard. We observe here that in his noted work "Life strategy of creative individual" G.S. Altshuller repeatedly foretold the possibility of unseemly actions by “disciples”.  An application for trademark “ТРИЗ TRIZ” was filed three years after passing of the author of TRIZ. This application was filed by the management of the public organization “MATRIZ” in secret from the successors of the Author of TRIZ. Neither their opinion nor the Author’s wishes were taken into consideration.

Beginning in October 2003 Valentina Nikolaevna Zhuravleva made numerous attempts to contact the said public organization in order to obtain necessary clarifications. However, “MATRIZ” officials refused to discuss this issue. In addition, the attorneys from the law firm “Uskov and Partners” (www.uskov.ru in Russian), patent attorneys for Valentina Nikolaevna, attempted to contact officials of the said organization by phone and by mail for several months.

Since these attempts did not meet with success, in January 2004 Valentina Nikolaevna prepared two open letters, in which she informed the public of the act of piracy. She also suggested “MATRIZ” to take voluntary steps to abolish the trademark. These letters received wide support from scientific community. The Objection was filed with the Board for Patent Disputes on February 25th, 2004. Unfortunately, Valentina Nikolaevna did not live to see the day when the justice was restored. She passed away on March 12th, 2004. Vadim Uskov, manager of the law firm “Uskov and Partners” (www.uskov.ru in Russian), represented Altshuller’s family at the Board for Patent Disputes.

The distinctive feature of this event is the fact that the Official Foundation of G.S. Altshuller intends to fulfill G.S. Altshuller’s and V.N. Zhuravleva’s will and not register this trademark to itself, because the Author of TRIZ viewed this as inadmissible. Therefore, it was not a dispute for the right to the trademark, but a dispute for the right of every individual or organization to freely use TRIZ.

The Official Foundation of G.S. Altshuller simultaneously states that any individual or organization, which will make an attempt to patent words “ТРИЗ” or “TRIZ”, will be responsible for that. Be sure G.S. Altshuller’s Foundation will take care of it.

Altshuller’s Foundation thanks from the bottom of our hearts all the Colleagues who countenanced Altshuller’s legacy, who supported Valentina Nikolaevna Zhuravleva in her quest to abolish this trademark.

Special thanks to Igor Leonardovich Vikentiev, Sergey Valerievich Sychyov, Vadim Valerievich Uskov, consulting companies “TRIZ-CHANCE”, “Sychyov and Co Ltd.”, law firm “USKOV and Partners", for moral and active support, for large volume of difficult, yet necessary efforts, for participation in Board for Patent Disputes’ meetings, representing  Altshuller’s family.

Full text of the Objection, which served as the basis for trademark abolishment could be found here (in Russian) in .pdf format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader (you may load it here).

This press release may be reprinted, without restrictions, in any media, on websites and via e-mailings.

Source http://www.altshuller.ru

 Translated by M.Barkan