Patent Lawsuits Galore

eldavojohn writes "Guess who owns the patent on the touch-screen keyboard. Not Apple — SP Technologies has filed a suit based on just that. Ars brings out the intriguing detail that the founder of the patent troll company is serving prison time for health-care fraud." Read on for four more patent developments in the day's news.
Today the news broke that Aloft is suing Microsoft and Adobe for deliberately violating the patent entitled 'Network Browser Window with Adjacent Identifier Selector.' Qualcomm had a bad day as the US Trade Representative advised the President not to intervene in the patent beef it is losing against Broadcom. Today we found out Sharp is suing Samsung for an LCD infringement. Ending an eventful day on a note of sanity, a judge today threw out the jury verdict on Alcatel-Lucent vs. Microsoft and Microsoft no longer has to pony up $1.5 billion.

Comments

Re:Palm together with every PDA out there

[TheJasper]

The patent isnt 11 years old and doesn't cover touchscreen keyboards. it covers touchscreen keyboards which can't be minimized. This is a serious infringement and I hope the judge throws the book....at somebody.

Well imagine if

[Anonymous Coward]

they got an injuction against apple. Everyone would have to download an update that would remove the keyboard. No more "I'm posting this from my iphone posts."

Not really a loss. Maybe they could bring back the thumb keyboards.

Re:Well imagine if

[bjourne]

Well, it is pretty obvious that they were using touch screen keyboards in Star Trek: TNG, they even blip when you press them. Not sure if it counts as prior art since the setting is the 24th century, but still.

Re:Well imagine if

[TheJasper]

No, this isn't prior art. It's future art. Since the courts will at some time extend patents into infinity, this obviously has great implications. Obviously paramount should be sued for using technologies they should've anticipated would be patented. They have an obligation to search out the antecedents of the lawye...inventors who wil patent the idea and pay them their fair share.

For those who will point out that the laws in Star Trek probably don't include patents...It's fiction man, get over it.

Re:Not "the" but one of many "a"s

[Nazlfrag]

You are utterly wrong. Touch screens are obviously hardware. Keyboards are too. This software patent rubbish you spout is invalid. This patent is as solid as the 45 network plug patents, if not more so. Do you realise that without software patents nobody would be able to defend their work using the expertise and diligence of ever patient, kind, humble and scrupulous lawyers?

Re:Not "the" but one of many "a"s

[Opportunist]

There's such a thing as a patient, kind, humble or scrupulous lawyer? Or one that at least has one of the mentioned qualities?

Re:Not "the" but one of many "a"s

[timmarhy]

"This patent is as solid as the 45 network plug patents"

huh, so our saying it's all bullshit to!

Re:Not "the" but one of many "a"s

[Opportunist]

I do admit that they are attributes. That's all I admit. I will not question that those are attributes, no doubt they are. And fine attributes, they are. I think we can agree that those are attributes anyone should be proud of.

What was the question again?

Re:Not "the" but one of many "a"s

[RobBebop]

I actually have the patent for "patient, kind, humble or scrupulous lawyer". Please cease and desist discussion on the topic or I will have to sue you.

Now, you can license the qualities for a "patient, kind, humble or scrupulous lawyer"... but it will cost you. :)

(See, the patent system is working perfectly fine)

Re:Palm together with every PDA out there

[MindKata]

Maybe we should patent the idea of patent trolling. Then finally we can all have some peace.

Re:So where's mine?

[virtualchoirboy]

Dear Sir,
I represent the American Safety Razor Company and am writing to inform you that you are being sued for the infringement of our product "Burma Shave". You should be receiving a packet of information shortly on where to send the $2,098,720,923US in compensation that our legal team has determined to be the current damages.

Thank you,

Lowell Dewey
Dewey, Cheatum & Howe
Attorneys at Law
1 Ripoff Lane
Scumville, DC 12345

Re:Not "the" but one of many "a"s

[Smauler]

Reminds me of that engineering maxim (not sure if I've got it exactly right) :

Fast
Good
Cheap
Pick two of the above.

Except with lawyers it'd be more like :
Sleazy
Money grubbing
Honest*
Pick two of the above**.

--

** - We reserve the right to change any aspect of the two picked at any time, for any reason. By picking two of these choices you are entering into a contractual agreement resulting in the donation of your first born child to Litigation Inc. You are not free to disseminate in any form or way the contents of this post, or of this notice. Any violations of this will result in charges of damages of not less than $250,000 (two hundred and fifty thousand dollars) per letter, payable to Litigation Inc.

* - This is not a valid option. Any who pick this option deliberately, and with intent to defraud Litigation Inc. will be charged for time used by Litigation Inc. correcting this, at the cost of not less than $250,000 (two hundred and fifty thousand dollars) per man/minute.

Re:So where's mine?

[AMSRay]

And the lawyers from the "Car Talk" radio show will be in touch with you shortly to discuss your unauthorized use of their trademark. The Dewey, Cheatem & Howe offices are in Cambridge Massachusetts, not DC.

Re:Palm together with every PDA out there

[Trumpet of Doom]

You missed it? I tried to do that 10 years ago, but some jackass claimed "prior art."