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Touchpad Patent Holder Tsera Sues Just About Everyone

Posted by timothy on from the how-about-a-first-known-infringement-filing-deadline-link dept.

eldavojohn writes "Okay, well, maybe not everyone but more than twenty companies (including Apple, Qualcomm, Motorola and Microsoft) are being sued for a generic patent that reads: 'Apparatus and methods for controlling a portable electronic device, such as an MP3 player; portable radio, voice recorder, or portable CD player are disclosed. A touchpad is mounted on the housing of the device, and a user enters commands by tracing patterns with his finger on a surface of the touchpad. No immediate visual feedback is provided as a command pattern is traced, and the user does not need to view the device to enter commands.' Sounds like their may be a few companies using that technology. The suit was filed on July 15th in the favoritest place ever to file patent claim lawsuits: Texas Eastern District Court. It's a pretty classic patent troll; they've been holding this patent since 2003 and they just noticed now that everyone and his dog are using touchpads to control portable electronic devices."

14 of 168 comments (clear)

  1. And I'm going to patent by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Making the same joke about patenting patent-abuse methods over and over again in every slashdot article about patents.

    1. Re:And I'm going to patent by binarylarry · · Score: 2, Funny

      And I'm going to patent the patent patenting patent process, just to annoy you, you pedant!

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    2. Re:And I'm going to patent by Fyzzle · · Score: 2, Funny

      Making the same joke about patenting patent-abuse methods over and over again in every slashdot article about patents.

      Yo dawg I herd you like patents, so we're going to patent your patent so you can sue while you sue.

    3. Re:And I'm going to patent by migla · · Score: 2, Funny

      And I'm going to let you, then violate your patent and offer to compensate you face to face, so that we can finally see what you look like, mister Anonymous Coward, if that is your real name...

      --
      Some of my favourite people are from th US; Vonnegut, Chomsky, Bill Hicks.
    4. Re:And I'm going to patent by bertoelcon · · Score: 3, Funny

      I would just patent sentient life, that should do the trick.

      --
      Anything can be found funny, from a certain point of view.
    5. Re:And I'm going to patent by pluther · · Score: 5, Funny

      Wouldn't work. This is east Texas we're talking about.

      --
      If the masses can keep you down, you're not the Ubermensch.
  2. On no Amazon!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Hope we don't all wake up to find our touchscreens missing and a dollar bill in it's place.

  3. Re:Patents are Unsane by stonecypher · · Score: 2, Funny

    Er, the military industrial complex uses very little oil, actually. Most of our military vehicles are electrical or biodiesel at this point.

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    StoneCypher is Full of BS
  4. Well, I hate to *point* it out, but.... by gestalt_n_pepper · · Score: 2, Funny

    Tsera's lawyers are just a wee bit *touchy* on this topic...

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    Please do not read this sig. Thank you.
    1. Re:Well, I hate to *point* it out, but.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      I've got a gesture for them. Accompanied with audible feedback.

  5. Re:Patents are Unsane by MichaelSmith · · Score: 3, Funny

    At this rate they should just acquire their own oil producing country.

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    http://michaelsmith.id.au
  6. Re:Patents are Unsane by MaskedSlacker · · Score: 2, Funny

    Shhhhh! Don't give them any more ideas.

  7. Sues Just About Everyone? by mrgiles · · Score: 2, Funny

    Dammit. I always miss out on the fun.

    :(

  8. Re:Patents are Unsane by tancque · · Score: 3, Funny

    Thanks! This text was missing from my civilization IV manual.

    --
    Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast!