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'Eolas' Browser Plug-in Patent Case Rises Again

Posted by Zonk on from the return-of-the-living-patent-case dept.

eldavojohn writes "A legal battle that has been around since 1999 and seemingly ended in 2005 now rears its head again. In a confusing move, the USPTO 'reissued a Microsoft patent last week covering the same concepts outlined in the Eolas patent and with wording mirroring that of the Eolas patent. With both companies holding identical patents, the USPTO will now play King Solomon and decide which parent gets custody of the baby.' Both the Microsoft & Eolas patents are available online."

4 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. Any chance in hell they'll both get revoked... by bbernard · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ...for being "obvious?"

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  2. I'm glad a read the article by geekoid · · Score: 4, Informative

    all that are doing is giving MS a chance to prove that they invented the technology before it was patented. This is not unusual.

    It is also why there are forms of invention protection you can use when shopping around for investors.

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  3. See why I don't like software patents by Marc+D.M. · · Score: 5, Insightful

    See why I don't like software patents, because they're stupid and everyone gets hurt.

    Unless of course, you manage to patent something that a large company will have to pay you $500+ million for. But if that's my large company, I'll be upset.

    At this rate, we might as well patent integration and differentiation.

  4. Keep tabs on patent reform here by Mateo_LeFou · · Score: 4, Informative

    http://judiciary.house.gov/committeestructure.aspx ?committee=3

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