What is Digg?97 Comments
- Smwbigboss, on 01/13/2008, -0/+111Hey, why don't I create a patent for "A device used to complete a task or manipulate an object" and sue anybody I ***** can? That seems to be the general idea for patent lawsuits these days.
- coheedcollapse, on 01/13/2008, -0/+67Are you god damn kidding me. I hope these idiots get put in the poor house. You know that the American patent system needs a total renovation when you have dumbasses with no intent of actually creating their devices filing broad claims that hinder others from developing and innovating on technology. Every time this crap comes up it pisses me off.
- WestonP, on 01/13/2008, -0/+49Only in America could you patent a generic idea, do nothing to develop it, and then think you're going to strike it rich by suing large companies who implement the rather obvious idea that you had patented.
- TheBaronVonJim, on 01/13/2008, -3/+51Seriously, how many of these patent lawsuits actually do anything for the patent owner? Apart from make them universally disliked.
If you seriously obfuscate your case you might get somewhere for a while (read SCO), otherwise I've read about 2 successes of such lawsuits out of the umpteen dozen that fill tech new sites each month. - shinythingy, on 01/13/2008, -0/+47God SONY and Nintendo are going to bury these guys so far down
- doshindude, on 01/13/2008, -1/+31Epic fail.
How can they even conceive that this lawsuit will go anywhere? - Ajajadude, on 01/13/2008, -0/+28This is America?
- Ajajadude, on 01/13/2008, -0/+22I hope they do. And I hope someone finally decides to push for patent reform to keep these "companies" for coming up with ideas for random technologies that could apply to just about anything due to the vague language in the patent.
- thebellmaster1x, on 01/13/2008, -0/+19"method for connecting devices to a system and sorting their inputs by means of hardware identification numbers tied to each transmission"
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that how, like, everything wireless everywhere works? Sounds a bit broad to me. - SonnyW, on 01/13/2008, -0/+18I'm going to have to sue you for stealing my idea.
- dave911la, on 01/13/2008, -1/+13i dont think the electron was ever patented!@!! haha! wait till i get rich now /sarcasm
- RoroCo, on 01/13/2008, -2/+12Like they buried Immersion?
- LuckyASN, on 01/13/2008, -0/+10I'm suing you for stealing my lawsuit against smwbigboss
- Lunarbunny, on 01/13/2008, -1/+11I'd say Immersion's patent was just a bit less vague than this.
- monkeyboy7706, on 01/13/2008, -0/+10I always thought patents had to be a lot more specific than this.
- fkr3, on 01/13/2008, -1/+11The actual link:
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid= ...
Engadget add nothing but advertisements as per usual. - Zarokima, on 01/13/2008, -2/+11Eschew obfuscation!
- gfunk84, on 01/13/2008, -2/+11Where's the "???"?
- bejayel, on 01/13/2008, -0/+9I am going to make a patent for "Creating a new being using the cells of two other existing beings" and sue everyone that has a child. Then i am going to make sure that everyone that wants a kid has to buy a licence from me for every kid they have.
- Brad324, on 01/13/2008, -0/+8@Daggity: I'd sue you for taking the joke too far, but then I'd be a hypocrite.
- Natetendo83, on 01/13/2008, -0/+8idiots
- cyrix, on 01/13/2008, -2/+10As a person who lives in PA, I offer my humble apology for this even being taken serious in a court of law.
This is just another reason why the patent system needs overhauled. - GMorgan, on 01/13/2008, -0/+7As a programmer I hope Sony and Nintendo take the shirts off their back. The industry should take a stance against patent trolls. They should put together a central fund to bully patent trolls into oblivion via trivial law suits.
- 5xSTUN, on 01/13/2008, -0/+7I agree... the solution should simply be to pass a law that anyone or any company that owns a patent that doesn't actually bring the product to market and keep on producing it loses the patent forever.
This business practice of buying up old, disused patents of failed inventions and then suing anyone who successfully produces anything that even sounds remotely like the patent's abstract needs to friggin' END and END NOW. - mikes1, on 01/13/2008, -0/+7Prior art: Ethernet (circa mid-'70s) and MAC (hardware) addresses. That's just the most immediately obvious to me, there are certainly earlier examples.
- Aensland, on 01/13/2008, -0/+6Generally, that would be step 3.
- Godel, on 01/13/2008, -1/+7They are just hoping for a quick settlement, they know that there is no way this patent could stand up in court. As a patent agent, I don't think the patent system necessarily needs an overhaul. The PTO is one of the only governmental regulatory body that makes a profit on their fees. However, they are forced to give away those profits to other governmental agencies. Simply letting them use their profits to hire more examiners would greatly help the system. Currently, those guys are so overworked that they frequently allow really horrible patents through.
- CoolWind, on 01/13/2008, -0/+6"I don't think the patent system necessarily needs an overhaul." - wake up. The patent system is severely broken. It doesn't seem to accomplish it's purpose as a benefit to society.
Software patents are a crime against software development companies. How can they possibly know if they are violating someone's patent until they get sued, and why should software be patentable (it discourages, rather than encourages, software progress)?
Patent troll companies are a disgrace to society.
The reasons go on and on. - dinostabOMG, on 01/13/2008, -2/+7dugg for diction
- greatblackowl, on 01/13/2008, -0/+5dugg for damnably daring, yet deftly discreet alliteration
- r3zonance, on 01/13/2008, -1/+6Hmmm, surely this should be thrown as bluetooth has been floating around for at least 5 years, and the original Bluetooth spec was drafted in 1994.
So this patent should be chucked out either because they never bothered defending it, or prior art. Bunch of wankers. - NSMike, on 01/13/2008, -1/+6Doesn't have anything to do with PA. Stupid people live everywhere.
- Comatose51, on 01/13/2008, -0/+5"covers a method for connecting devices to a system and sorting their inputs by means of hardware identification numbers tied to each transmission."
Prior art: Networking and the use of MAC addresses or IP addresses to figure out who sent the message. - SnowBladerX, on 01/13/2008, -2/+7I got a idea get rid of the patent system completely, Or at least put some sorta stipulation that you have to at least produce a item that relies on this patent in order to sue someone else for infringement.
- inactive, on 01/13/2008, -0/+4The controllers don't identify themselves? How does it know which player is using which controller?
- kingjoey52a, on 01/13/2008, -1/+5Sony and Nintendo will most likely pay them off.
- rarson, on 01/13/2008, -0/+4This is a retarded patent. Obviously, patent trolls benefit from being able to get patents based on extremely vague and general descriptions.
- SovereignGFC, on 01/13/2008, -3/+7Patent Trolling/Squatting 101
1. Find a general, vague idea that has wide application, preferably one that has been (or will be) used by large, wealthy corporations
2. File patent request
3. Wait
4. Pounce on big company
5. Profit - Ajajadude, on 01/13/2008, -0/+4That's not a bad idea....
- Typhoon2009, on 01/13/2008, -1/+4I'm going to copyright "a device" and then sue everyone :D
- pimpofpixels, on 01/13/2008, -0/+3Patent law needs reform as it relates to digital devices and techniques.
No one would have ever tried to patent the Hammer or the Nail.
Frequently patents for digital concepts are awarded when the patent relates to not only the combination of components but also the components themselves. Imagine if the man who’d invented the steam engine had been able to simultaneous patent cylinders, steam, pistons, screws, axels etc. Patent Law was established to promote innovation, and it is beginning to do the opposite.
To defend a patent infringement accusation costs around a million dollars so getting a patent is has become more of a way to protect yourself from vague patent claims then as a way to protect your own innovation. - CoolWind, on 01/13/2008, -0/+3Sir, would you like a side of fries with that frivolous law suit?
- sporg, on 01/13/2008, -0/+3They hope that they will just settle.
- GreenAlien, on 01/13/2008, -0/+3"Then i am going to make sure that everyone that wants a kid has to buy a licence from me for every kid they have."
For a second I was going to say that the patent system is messed up, but not that much. But biotech companies are falling over themselves to patent our genes so scrap that. What a pathetic state of affairs. - GreenAlien, on 01/13/2008, -0/+2Unfortunately greed isnt governed by common sense. There has to be a reason the patent system hasnt been reformed despite people bitching about it for years.
How about making a patent valid for 5 years, then after that a company must demonstrate (by submitting more papers to the patent office) that a product is available for sale in order to extend for another 5 years, after which it expires. Then if there's a patent dispute all papers submitted to the patent office have to be validated before lawyers or patent owner gets a dime. - KaJuN4, on 01/13/2008, -0/+2If someone can sue for being burned by hot coffee, and win, anything's possible.
- MWeather, on 01/14/2008, -0/+2you don't hear about the successful patent trolls. They get paid before the courts even get involved.
- Bleahdom, on 01/13/2008, -0/+2I think you've been beaten to that already, although by a slightly different patent. Something about DNA synthesising if I remember correctly, search for it yourself.
- se1zure, on 01/14/2008, -0/+2WOW, you had me going there i had no idea your were being sarcastic until you put that sarcasem tag, WOW, HILARIOUS< OMG, quit your day job NOW!
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