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Apple Patent Claim Threatens To Block Or Delay W3C

Posted by timothy on from the broad-patents-big-problems dept.

Kelson writes "The W3C Widget specification is running into a problem: Apple claims a patent on automatic updates and is unwilling to license it royalty-free in the event that it impacts the spec. The W3C is investigating to determine whether the spec includes anything covered by the patent, and decide what to do."

4 of 332 comments (clear)

  1. Bunch of hypocrites by _avs_007 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Apple is a member of the W3C, and even advertises on it's own web page (Click Here) that it supports an immutable commitment to royalty free licensing on W3C standards, per the W3C patent policy. Sounds like Apple is only interested in other companies licensing Royalty Free terms to them, but not the other way around....

  2. I assume Apple doesn't get to sit in? by Qubit · · Score: 4, Interesting

    According to the Patent Advisory Group they've formed to deal with this hurdle, the PAG membership includes "Advisory Committee Representatives of each Member participating in the Web Applications Working Group".

    Of course, the Web Applications Working Group includes: "Apple, Inc. (4 representatives)".

    Isn't it kind of a conflict of interest for Apple to be sitting on the committee that has the purview to:

    • study the patent in question and discuss its impact on Widgets 1.0: Updates
    • seek prior art that may apply to the use of updates in Widgets
    • discuss ways to design around the claims excluded by Apple Inc.
    • explore ways to come to an agreement with Apple to continue work on Widgets 1.0 Updates as a Royalty-Free specification
    • write a PAG report with recommendations for the W3C Director

    ?

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  3. Re:without interruption of its primary function... by Shrike82 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Well yeah, but it's still a very general concept that's been patented. I have nothing against patents; I just object to this kind. Personally I feel it's an abuse of the patent system, just like these moronic patent troll companies that do nothing except file patents (no development or practical invention) and expect free money when their idea becomes practical or mainstream.

    Yeah, I'm a grumpy old man...what of it...

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  4. Re:I call shenanigans! by shutdown+-p+now · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What's funny is that the steps that you've outlined seem to describe exactly how Microsoft's ClickOnce works when it comes to updates. So if Apple threatens to sue, it would seem that there is at least one large player interested in opposing them on this.