Acacia Climbing the Food Chain

superflex writes "CNet and others have articles today related to a story that appeared here a couple months ago regarding Acacia Media Technologies, who hold several U.S. and international patents that they claim give them exclusive rights to compressed digital media transmission technologies. The previous article, for the lazy among you, was an AskSlashdot about whether the askers' pr0n site should pay license fees to these guys. Seems that since then, they've moved on to some internet radio sites, and are actually getting fees out of them. Their claims haven't been challenged in court yet, but they appear very broad, possibly covering PPV on cable/satellite as well as internet-based streaming. One wonders if they might try going after one of the big boys soon."

Comments

They won't go after the big boys until..

[Anonymous Coward]

They've built up a history of legal victories. Then, one of the big boys will stand up for themselves, and fight them off in court.

Sit back, enjoy and let them learn

[KrunZ]

If they succeed this can be a real eye-opener for the politicians. Patents on software is not an overall good idea for business.

bullshit, be mad

[Ender Ryan]

A zillion other people/companies came up with the infringing stuff on their own, without even being aware of Acacia's existence, so why the fuck should they have to pay a company that didn't do a damn thing to help them?

That being said, it is pretty slimy to hold a patent for 12 years and just now start to enforce it

Exactly, be mad! :)

Precedent

[IanBevan]

One wonders if they might try going after one of the big boys soon.

I would doubt they'll do that until one of the 'small boys' has taken them to court and a precedent has been set.

1. Get patent

2. do { threaten small_sites; } until (court_case_won and legal_precedent_set);

3. Profit from big boys!

You've got to be kidding ...

[molarmass192]

Compressed audio and video transmission patented? In 1991 at that? Come on, that's like me patenting that you can wear shoes and socks at the same time. Digitally compressed video and audio existed LONG before these jokers. I mean CDs used PCM back in the mid-80s, and as for video, look here and here and about 20,000 more references on Google. This patenting of ideas that are just naive bundles of existing concepts just blows me away ... STOP THE INSANITY!

Re:Be mad at them

[Anonymous Coward]

Unfortunately that is how patent law works. If you develop a product or process at the same time as someone else (both doing original work), whoever patents it first owns it. No arguments. The person who patents it owns the idea outright and has the right to license it.

No, the problem is that software is seen as something that is different from everything else and thus can be patented even if there is prior art from the 'real world'. Just take an existing patent, add the claim 'using software' and you own a large market, say encryption, only streaming, whatever. It works like this:

Go shopping with two shopping carts and everything is fine. Display two shopping cart icons on your website, you will be sued. Create a coffee dispenser (You press the button, then insert coins and the coffee comes out). Everythings fine, obvious idea, no problem. But if you do this on a website (press button -> buy book), you will be infringing. Tell your friend the chords of Stairway to Heaven over the telephone, no problem. Stream a MIDI file over the same telephone line, you will be infringing.

Think about it.