Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are in competition to take the initiative of TV trademark.

4K Ultra High-definition (UHD, 3840x2160) TV brands had their own separate company’s till now but the borderline has been broken down recently. It is because it brings wider marketing opportunities and can be used as means of holding off the competitors.

LG Electronics have applied a trademark called ‘SUPER UHD TV’ at the Patent Office on the 12th. Previously on the 4th, they had applied ‘PRIME UHD’ ‘LUHD’ ‘SMART UHD’ for trademark at the Patent Office. LG had released first ultra HD TV in 2012 and it is their first time claiming the trademark ‘UHD’. ‘Super Ultra HDTV’ graphic trademark, which was previously applied in 16th of past month, was applied once more with a different color pattern.

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<LG Electronics’ ‘Super Ultra HDTV’ logo that was applied last month(above) and LG Electronics’ new ‘Super Ultra HDTV’ logo, applied on March 4th. The color positioning is different from the previously applied one in February. photo=the Patent Offiice of Korea >

Samsung Electronics’ effort to defend ‘UHD’ is also noticeable. With the UHD business consultative group’s ‘UHD Alliance’ trademark that was established past January, they decided ‘UHDA’ and applied with the logo on the past January 22nd. On the 26th of last month, LG had put 4 kinds of their exclusive OLED products with ‘Super UHD OLED’.

In August of 2012, OLED registration became an issue because it was 2 years after OLED TV application. About this, Samsung VD president said that they were applying for the future product beforehand. This stirred up rumor for ‘re-release of Samsung OLED TV’.

The known to be LG’s exclusive ‘Ultra’ has 2 cases of similar accident. Samsung has silently using ‘Ultra’ this year for their UHD and it seems the separation for ‘UHD (Samsung)’ and ‘Ultra HD (LG)’ has become very blurry.

However, not all the applied trademarks are finalized. If it is a common noun that can be used by anyone, company is not given the opportunity to monopolize.

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<Samsung Electronics had applied for their ‘UHD Alliance (UHDA)’ logo on the past January 22nd. photoe=The Patent Office of Korea >
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<LG Electronics applied for ‘Ultra HDTV’ logo(above) on January 30th, 2013. The registration was rejected due to usage of common noun Ultra HD. Then LG Electronics applied for ‘Ultra HDTV’ logo on February 22nd, 2013. Although it was different from the January with capital letters on Ultra, the registration was still rejected due to usage of common noun Ultra HD. photoe=The Patent Office of Korea>
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<The ‘4K 3D+ ULTRA HDTV’ logo that LG Electronics had applied on the May 19th of last year. It is still waiting for finalization announcement. photoe=The Patent Office of Korea>

LG Electronics had applied ‘Ultra HDTV’ in January of 2013, but the registration was rejected. They tried reapplying it by switching it to all capital letters but the result was the same. After 5 months, 4K Ultra HDTV was returned as well so LG Electronics applied4K 3D+ ULTRA HD May of 2014.

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<The ‘UHD Upscaling’ logo that Samsung Electronics had registered in February 20th of 2014. The point is on improved UHD display function. photoe=The Patent Office of Korea >

Sometimes it is used as a hold off against other competing companies. Upscaling, function which switches definition into 4K standard, has been applied by Samsung Electronics February of last year and it has been registered as ‘UHD Upscaling’ trademark. LG Electronics is responding with ‘4K Upscaler’, ‘U Clear’.

Staff Reporter Suh, Hyungsuk | hsseo@etnews.com