Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Windows 7 Under Fire For Patent Infringement

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the i'm-so-torn dept.

eldavojohn writes "A patent issued in 2003 called 'Method and system for demultiplexing a first sequence of packet components to identify specific components wherein subsequent components are processed without re-identifying components' is now owned by Implicit Networks, who has recently claimed Windows 7 infringes upon it with its Filtering Platform. This is used in Vista, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008. Implicit is seeking a jury trial and damages. A shocking turn of events; you actually want to cheer for Microsoft this time as Implicit is nothing more than a patent licensing company (troll) and has done battle with Sun, AMD, Intel and NVIDIA."

9 of 241 comments (clear)

  1. Go Microsoft, Believe in me who believes in you by Dadamh · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Seriously though, I dislike patent squatting.

    These folks delay technology advancement and don't actually produce anything themselves.

    I hope microsoft wins this. Of course, they will, because there's no one on earth they can't buy if they try hard enough.

    1. Re:Go Microsoft, Believe in me who believes in you by Tim+C · · Score: 4, Insightful

      No, they need to win it - every company doing this sort of thing needs to lose, to send a clear message that sitting on a patent then suing people who independently discover the claimed invention is wrong and should not be considered a viable business method.

      I know how tempting it is to sit there and laugh and say "serves them right!" but every time a patent troll wins, the entire industry (and by extension, humanity) loses.

      --
      It's official. Most of you are morons.
    2. Re:Go Microsoft, Believe in me who believes in you by the_womble · · Score: 5, Insightful

      No, its best if MS, and other big tech companies lose a few of these. Then they will start lobbying for better patent laws, and perhaps even an end to software patents.

  2. Trust Me by OwMyBrain · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The only real winner is the lawyers.

  3. I might be one to bash MSFT but -- by dwiget001 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    -- this patent is bogus.

    De-multiplexing has been around for a long time (circa late 60s or early 70s).

    But, even with that out of the way, the patent is basically describing getting offset data after the de-multiplexing to then get at the data.

    Both have gobs of prior art in their own rights. As well as this being obvious to anyone skilled in the areas of communications and programming.

    The patent office needs a spanking.

  4. And yet there are still software patents. by khasim · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Since it is only the lawyers (and trolls) who make money off of this, why aren't those companies banding together to kill software patents?

    I can understand copyrights on software.

    Is it because those companies see their profits from such patents as larger than the occasional cost of buying off a patent troll?

    1. Re:And yet there are still software patents. by Sinning · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Is it because those companies see their profits from such patents as larger than the occasional cost of buying off a patent troll?

      Yes. Also, defending yourself from these types of patent issues discourages competition by greatly increasing the cost to enter the market.

  5. Agreed. Microsoft lobbies for software patents. by Concern · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If they like this system so much, I'm sure they will have no problem paying out to all the patent-holders they infringe upon, according to the same idiotic legal principles they believe should protect their own works.

    Of course, if any more than a handful of crooks started following these rules, that would make the software industry impossible. Not even Microsoft could ever know what they infringe. Even if the baby jesus came down from heaven today and told them the four hundred thousand patents they infringe, they would be lost again tomorrow, when 10,000 more patents were filed.

    The only way this absurd system of legalized corporate mugging is truly going to end is when Microsoft and the other lobbyists behind it themselves lose Real Money (i.e. billions of US monopoly dollars) to other patent holders.

    I am wishing Implicit all the best in their bullshit lawsuit.

    --
    Tired of Political Trolls? Opt Out!
  6. simmer down by nomadic · · Score: 4, Insightful

    A shocking turn of events, you actually want to cheer for Microsoft this time as Implicit is nothing more than a patent licensing company (troll) and has done battle with Sun, AMD, Intel and NVIDIA."

    Please don't tell me what I want to do.