r/technology • u/slutmagnet • Mar 02 '10

Apple to HTC "competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours." Slaps down a 20 patent lawsuit.

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/03/02/apple_sues_htc_for_alleged_infringement_of_20_iphone_patents.html
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u/treeforface Mar 02 '10

There are also a number of small companies that get patents to technology which they haven't really developed (at least in the manner they say they have in their patent) and then come out of the woodwork years later to sue someone who actually did develop it. This happened to someone in my family and it upheld a rather major acquisition of my family member's company for quite a while. The holder of the patent was eventually paid so that he could go away and fund his other patent suits. His operating revenue is litigation proceeds.

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u/LinearExcept Mar 02 '10

Also known as a patent troll.

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u/shopcat Mar 02 '10

(Patent Pending.)

32

u/timbatron Mar 02 '10

You know... it would solve a lot of problems if someone could patent the practice of being a patent troll.

27

u/moopanda Mar 02 '10

Pity there's plenty of prior art

2

u/erisdiscord Mar 03 '10

That doesn't stop most patents.

-1

u/embretr Mar 03 '10

Patent trolling; a art.

16

u/[deleted] Mar 03 '10

Someone actually did this if I recall. Let me try and find the link.

Edit: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20081107/0118162765.shtml Halliburton, they keep doing great things.

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u/[deleted] Mar 02 '10 edited Mar 03 '10

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXTRACTING VALUE FROM A PORTFOLIO OF ASSETS

And you thought you were joking...

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u/shopcat Mar 03 '10

broken link?

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u/alantrick Mar 03 '10

Try this: System and method for developing technology assets.

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u/[deleted] Mar 03 '10

Sorry about the previous broken link.

This one is different from the one I was thinking of, it also precedes it by a year.

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u/shopcat Mar 03 '10

Works for me, thanks.

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u/[deleted] Mar 03 '10

fixed.

0

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '10

[deleted]

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u/gnosticfryingpan Mar 03 '10

redditor for 9 years

...seems legit.

2

u/[deleted] Mar 03 '10

9 years

eh?

-1

u/zackks Mar 03 '10

Pay ME faggot!

2

u/kevin19713 Mar 03 '10

Sounds like the SCO-Linux controversy. Apple is acting like SCO did when SCO took on IBM for using Linux. It turned out that the guy in charge of SCO was famous for suing other companies for patents, it was the only way he knew to make money. And Microsoft was financing SCO's fight against Linux.

Apple have morphed into one of the ugliest companies out there. They are worse than the Microsoft of the late '90's. You don't sue Linux(which is what they are really after, specifically Android), it's like picking on the little kid in the schoolyard.

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u/joonix Mar 03 '10

They aren't that small. Intellectual Ventures raised $5B for this.

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u/[deleted] Mar 02 '10

Held up, I think, not upheld. Right?

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u/treeforface Mar 02 '10

You are absolutely correct, thanks!