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U.S. Firms Take on Australia's CSIRO Over Patents

Posted by timothy on from the hey-we-want-those dept.

dingram17 writes "ABC News is reporting that six U.S. computer companies (Apple, Dell, Hewlett Packard, Intel, Microsoft and Netgear) are taking legal action to try to break a U.S. patent that the CSIRO holds on wireless networking. The CSIRO has patents on OFDM technology, as used in 802.11a and 802.11g. It has been alleged that the CSIRO demands $4 per chipset for the use of this technology. It appears that the patent in question is U.S. Patent 5,487,069 'Wireless LAN.' From a quick look, this appears to be a wide ranging patent."

13 of 426 comments (clear)

  1. Wow.... by the_macman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Simply stunning. So a company actually holds a legal patent to a technology they invented and since the big boys (Dell, Apple, etc) don't want to pay the royalties they try to legally "break" the patent. Does anyone else see something wrong with this? I hardly see these companies as the victim.

    1. Re:Wow.... by shitdrummer · · Score: 5, Informative

      A government entity should never be allowed to patent its own tech, that tech was paid for by the people and should be available freely to all in every scenario I can possibly think of.

      Profits from CSIRO patents are reinvested into research. This in turn lowers the required government funding thus saving Aussie taxpayers quite a bit of money.

      By the way, the CSIRO is highly respected by a lot of Australians.

      Shitdrummer

    2. Re:Wow.... by CrackedButter · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Americans didn't invent rocket propulsion, the English did. Americans didn't invent the jet engine, the Germans did. Americans didn't invent the computer, the English did. Americans didn't invent the war, the Germans did. Americans didn't invent the freedom, the French did.
      So what was this major thing they invented? (btw, I am sure you meant last century)

      --
      Jonathanjk.com
    3. Re:Wow.... by masklinn · · Score: 5, Funny
      So what was this major thing they invented?
      Software patents?
      --
      "The way we can tell it's C# instead of Haskell is because it's nine lines instead of two." -- wadler
    4. Re:Wow.... by shitdrummer · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I feel obligated to point out that if the government didn't get involved at all it would save even more money in taxes

      Then all the IP would be owned by large multi-national corporations that would take the profits out of Australia and their R&D dollars as well.

      How many multi-nationals do you think would give a shit about Australia's unique problems, such as the Cane Toad? http://www.csiro.au/index.asp?type=faq&id=CaneToad Control

      Shitdrummer

    5. Re:Wow.... by mjsottile77 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I (as an American) don't see the problem with this. If I pay taxes, and they get invested in research, I'd be quite happy if the proceeds of that research get reinvested BACK into research to either augment the amount I pay, or reduce the amount of burden on me as a taxpayer. I don't care if it's not America that is the one profiting -- why should we always feel we should be top dog? If Australia paid for and has the patent rights to it, then good for them - and if they reinvest it into research, then maybe we'll see something else good pop out of the labs down under.

  2. Re:A little help? by danpat · · Score: 5, Informative

    Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.

    Kind-of a catch-all government sponsored department for scientific research.

    See http://www.csiro.au/

  3. Go aussie go.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I hope the CSIRO wins considereing the way we get stuffed over by US companies out here.

  4. Turnabout is fair play... by Sensible+Clod · · Score: 5, Insightful

    After all the patents U.S. companies have been taking out for this exact purpose, I say, let the Aussies bash 'em once!

    At any rate, I've given up hope that the patent system will actually be fixed...

    --

    The difference between spam and poop is that you don't have to dig through septic tanks looking for real food. -- Me
  5. "Free Trade" my arse by Kris_J · · Score: 5, Insightful
    The Australian government, my government, needs to get a clue about the behaviour of the US and US corporations. This is exactly the sort of crap it signed on for when it forced through the "Free Trade" agreement. Frankly, I think we should cut off all formal ties and agreements with the US and have a real free trade environment. At the very least, Australia needs to recognise that the US patent system is irretreavably corrupt and should not be honoured in Australia.

    If the US would then similarly like to not honour Australian patents, they're welcome -- given that's what they appear to want anyway.

  6. Live by the sword, die by the sword by kcbrown · · Score: 5, Insightful
    ...although the companies in question certainly won't die if they have to pay royalties here.

    If the companies in question want to reap the benefits of the patent system, they have to pay the price of the patent system. But since most three-year-old children show greater maturity than most of these corporations, it's no surprise that these corporations want to reap the benefits without paying the price.

    They're just lucky that the organization in question (the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, a research arm of the Australian government) isn't a competitor. Although I suppose in this case it could use this patent to give Australian companies an advantage over their American competition.

    It's about damned time the U.S. corporations got a black eye from the bullshit patent situation over here. After all, they're the ones who have been abusing it. I just wish it happened far more often.

    --
    Use 'slashdot stuff' in the subject line in any email you send me if you want to get past the spam filter.
  7. Have to say that... by darnok · · Score: 5, Interesting

    if I had such a patent in my pocket, I'd licence it out on terms that said I could renegotiate any licence if and when my "client" decided to sue me for anything whatsoever.

    In other words, you can licence it from me for $4 per unit sold. Complain about the patent; if you lose, it becomes $8 per unit. Complain about anything else, and it becomes $12 per unit. Still want to complain, or am I now your newest bestest buddy...?

    Almost seems like common sense, which IP law in general is lacking across the board.

  8. In other news... by ElNonoMasa · · Score: 5, Funny

    Negotiations with CSIRO have come to a halt, and US troops are readying a full invas^H^H^H^H^H liberation attack on Australia.
    It has been discovered that the CSIRO technology could potentially assist enemies of the free world.
    The first stage of the attack, dubbed operation "Patent Freedom", could commence as soon as next week.