Can other shows have an 'Enterprise' if it's not USS?

[Jason X-Mas]

The answer is yes. Just call it the Interprise instead and it solves all thing. You can even have a Starfleet.. Just call it Spacefleet. Do you want the Federation? No problem! Nobody owns the rights to the Federal Union.

Jason

 

[uniderth]

The answer is yes. Just call it the Interprise instead and it solves all thing. You can even have a Starfleet.. Just call it Spacefleet. Do you want the Federation? No problem! Nobody owns the rights to the Federal Union.

Jason

Or the Enterpize.

 

[Jason X-Mas]

Or the Enterpize.

That also works. You can also go with Enturprise and Intorprize.



Jason

 

[dswynne1]

I got to thinking about this during the thread about Orville and transporters.

We all know that Paramount or CBS or whoever the hell it is, has a copyright/trademark on the use of fictional starships called USS Enterprise. So that's why SG-1, for example, couldn't use that name for any of its Earth ships (like the Prometheus and its ilk), because most of those ships used the prefix USS.

But what about other shows that don't? Could, theoretically, there have been an EAS Enterprise in an episode of B5? I mean, obviously there's no way in hell they actually would have done it (because of professional courtesy), but strictly speaking, they COULD, right? Because EAS is not USS, it's not covered by the legal stuff. Or am I wrong on this?

Probably restricted to the American and British modern navies that have vessels named "Enterprise"...

 

[ScottJ85]

Carter: Yeah. Sir, we can’t call it the Enterprise.
O’Neill: Why not?

 

[STR]

Personally, that always annoyed me, USS is used for US Navy ships, the ships on Stargate belong to the US Air Force and are crewed by Air Force personnel. Therefore the ships should have had USAF as their prefix, which the Prometheus did.

If they always introduced themselves as USAF vessels, then yeah, the prefix is USAFS/USAFV Prometheus. Just as US Coast Gaurd cutters carry the prefix "USCGC".

Otherwise, "USS" merely stands for "United States Ship" so it *could* mean any ship under US command. There's an executive order proscribing use outside the USN, but like any order, that can be rescinded.

 

[thribs]

Carter: Yeah. Sir, we can’t call it the Enterprise.
O’Neill: Why not?

LoL! I was thinking the same thing.
Never did get an answer to why.

 

[TrickyDickie]

I'm reminded of the cover of this book. Take one AMT Enterprise model kit, stick an additional spar between the nacelles, stick an additional bussard on top of the bridge, slightly blur the image, and you're good to go!

 

[Takeru]

The premise if this thread is wrong I think, everyone can have a USS Enterprise, CBS/Paramount do not own the name, they own the trademark but that doesn't affect the usage of the name within a story.

Of course having a USS Enterprise would be silly if you can't use the name for your merchandise or whatever the trademark applies to so it's easier to pick a different name.

It's similar to the Captain Marvel situation, nothing is stopping DC from using the name again for Shazam, it's just not worth it with Marvel owning the trademark.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

CBS/Paramount do not own the name, they own the trademark but that doesn't affect the usage of the name within a story.

Actually, yes, they do own the name. They have absolute control over any fictional starship called USS Enterprise.

This restriction does not apply to any real-world ship with that name (such as the aircraft carriers CV-6, CVN-65, and CVN-80)* - only those that exist solely in fiction. So for example, The Orville could not have a ship called Enterprise, because Planetary Union ships have USS as the registry prefix.

That's the key. The restriction only applies specifically to USS, nothing more. So therefore B5 could theoretically have had an EAS Enterprise, Firefly could also have had an IAV Enterprise, and SG-1 could have had a USAF Enterprise.

Obviously though it's extremely unlikely that any of these shows would have done this, even though legally they could. It's a gentleman's agreement that "Enterprise" should be solely reserved for Trek.

*I honestly don't know if the US Navy has any control over fictional use of its real ships. For example, CVN-65 appeared in ST IV (even though it was actually at sea at the time, and the USS Ranger was used for filming). Did they have to get the Navy's permission before they could use it?

 

[saddestmoon]

Exitprise?

[gets coat]

 

[N-121973]

What if its acknowledged on screen/page that its named in homage of the starship & franchise? Because in the real-world we're beginning to see spacecraft named for the Enterprise and a realistic show/book depicting future space travel couldn't ignore the fact that so long as Star Trek is popular, we're going to be naming ships Enterprise.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I'm reminded of the cover of this book. Take one AMT Enterprise model kit, stick an additional spar between the nacelles, stick an additional bussard on top of the bridge, slightly blur the image, and you're good to go!

I'm suddenly very curious about the evil planet, waiting to destroy

 

[Phily B]

I don't think it'd be a problem, but It likely isn't worth the hassle for the writers or producers of said series who are probably Trek fans in the first place.

 

[Ithekro]

Space Battleship Yamato 2202 has a sort of nod to the USS Enterprise in relation to TNG series relationship between the USS Enterprise and the USS Yamato. In Yamato 2202, Space Battleship Yamato (UNCN Yamato, BBY-01 (UNCN = "United Nations Cosmo Navy")) has two new near-sister ships. Deep Space Explorer Musashi (UNCN Musashi, BBY-02) and Experimental Research Vessel Ginga (UNCN Ginga, BBY-03). "Ginga" translates into English as "Galaxy". Thus, while there is no "Enterprise" in the fleet that we are aware of, there is a Yamato-class ship named Galaxy in Yamato 2202, like there is a Galaxy-class ship named Yamato in Star Trek.

There are many ships named in early episode on that series. One includes a Marusame-class cruiser named UNCN Kirk. And Kongo-class battlecruiser named UNCN Sugerloaf. (the naming pattern is a little wide, but some of the ships with English names appear to be named after American Revolutionary battles and others after people).

 

[trekshark]

LoL! I was thinking the same thing.
Never did get an answer to why.

The in-universe reason was probably due to the navy having an enterprise in their universe

 

[Ricky]

IANAL, but from what I've read, I don't think US copyright law extends protections to single words or short phrases explicitly to prevent copyright from being used as a substitute for trademark (just like ideas, procedures, etc, aren't protected by copyright; patents are obtained to protect those.)

After all, the story of a boy named Harry Potter thwarting the return of an ancient evil with the help of a magical mentor was first told in the 1986 film Troll.

That's fascinating stuff about Troll.

 

[somebuddyX]

I like the idea of there being one in the B5 universe, since it's set around the same time as TOS, and EAS Enterprise being commanded by Jamie Kurt or Christian Peak or something

 

[cultcross]

Those are displays, not spoken words, and just like TNG after season one, DS9 and VOY, just because USS was displayed doesn't mean they referred to ships as USS in the dialogue.

Did happen occasionally after that, often in formal change of command ceremonies - e.g. Chain of Command and The Dogs of War (DS9) or in normal dialogue such as in Cause and Effect.

They have absolute control over any fictional starship called USS Enterprise.

I don't think it would be anywhere near that restrictive. The United States Patent and Trademark Office only list two trademarks for the word USS Enterprise, both in relation to licensed models, die-cast ships etc. It does not appear on an admittedly limited search that the term USS Enterprise is trademarked in any other respect. Probably because of the real life uses, the ability to do so is limited. Even 'Starship Enterprise' doesn't have much more, adding "advertising on a dirigible" to the list.
So, if they were to rely on copyright, the test of substantial similarity would apply. Using the name of a real life US Naval vessel for a fictional starship, without more, would not necessarily be a slam dunk case.

 

[Gov Kodos]

Did happen occasionally after that, often in formal change of command ceremonies - e.g. Chain of Command and The Dogs of War (DS9) or in normal dialogue such as in Cause and Effect.


I don't think it would be anywhere near that restrictive. The United States Patent and Trademark Office only list two trademarks for the word USS Enterprise, both in relation to licensed models, die-cast ships etc. It does not appear on an admittedly limited search that the term USS Enterprise is trademarked in any other respect. Probably because of the real life uses, the ability to do so is limited. Even 'Starship Enterprise' doesn't have much more, adding "advertising on a dirigible" to the list.
So, if they were to rely on copyright, the test of substantial similarity would apply. Using the name of a real life US Naval vessel for a fictional starship, without more, would not necessarily be a slam dunk case.

Agreed. Don't see why a space carrier could be explicitly named for the historical aircraft carrier. Arguably, it wouldn't even need to be since Enterprise was used for ship names long before Star Trek or even the 20th century. And Col. O'Neill would approve.