An Oklahoma man has sued the nonprofit foundation created by Lance Armstrong for patent infringement over black and yellow dog collars showing the “LiveStrong” logo.

Chris Ohman claims that the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s collars violate a December 2007 patent filed by Chris Ohman for a “pet collar with an embossed slogan for encouraging charitable contributions,” according to court papers filed April 30 in an Oklahoma federal district court.

In September 2007, the Lance Armstrong Foundation sued the Animal Charity Collar Group alleging trademark infringement for the group’s selling of Ohman’s yellow pet collars imprinted with slogans such as “BarkStrong” and “PurrStrong.”  After the foundation filed suit, Ohman filed for the patent that he now alleges is being violated.

German footwear company, Adidas AG, has won $305 million in damages from Topeka-based Collective Brands Inc., which operates Payless and Stride Rite shoe store chains.  Collective Brands called the award “excessive.”  Naturally, Adidas is happy with the result.  ”The three-stripes are paramount to the Adidas brand, and a very strong and popular brand symbol globally,” spokeswoman Anne Putz wrote in an e-mail. “It is very satisfying for the three stripes to be recognized as a strong trademark after the court heard detailed evidence over more than three weeks.”

The dispute involved Adidas’ three-stripe logo.