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Company Claims Patent On Spam Filtering, Sues World

Posted by kdawson on from the guess-where dept.

EvilAlphonso notes news of a "Texas" IP holding company suing 36 actual companies for violating its claimed patent on spam filtering. Techdirt deconstructs the patent itself, No. 6,018,761, which seems to amount to little more than a database lookup. It was filed in 1996 and issued in 2000 (despite the lawyers' press release claiming that it "was awarded... nearly 15 years ago"). Among the companies being sued are 3Com, Apple, Google, AOL, Yahoo, J.C.Penney, IBM, Dell, Citigroup, and RIM. Not Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, or Microsoft, oddly enough.

12 of 186 comments (clear)

  1. New Patent Idea by DarkKnightRadick · · Score: 3, Funny

    I will be filing a patent for my method on submitting comments to websites that involve the use of a mouse, keyboard, computer, and monitor.

    --
    "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Proverbs 16:25 (NKJV)
    1. Re:New Patent Idea by TheKidWho · · Score: 2, Funny

      I use a touch screen you inconsiderate clod.

  2. Re:Good luck with that one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Yeah, I thought it was pretty crappy too.

  3. Re:Take off and nuke Marshall, TX from orbit ... by straponego · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yes. Or how about... let's see, it's Texas, and lots of people are complaining about all the violent illegal aliens. I see a solution with a good Bhyrdstone index. Execute a patent troll, free citizenship.

  4. Re:Good luck with that one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Next I'm going to patent my method for taking a shit.

    Anyone caught shitting, is fucked.

    I have prior art, you patent is invalid.

    Nah, that'd be prior fart

  5. Re:This guy already won the lottery by Spykk · · Score: 5, Funny

    Never trust a mathematician who plays the lottery...

  6. Re:Take off and nuke Marshall, TX from orbit ... by BronsCon · · Score: 4, Funny

    Execute a patent troll or spammer = free citizenship
    Execute a patent troll AND spammer = seat in congress

    --
    APK quotes people (including myself) without context and should not be trusted. Just thought you should know.
  7. Re:This guy already won the lottery by illumastorm · · Score: 4, Funny

    Then we nuke him from orbit, only way to be sure.

  8. Found it in my SPAM box by karvind · · Score: 2, Funny

    I got notification from them as well but it went to the SPAM folder. Sorry.

  9. Re:Take off and nuke Marshall, TX from orbit ... by oldspewey · · Score: 4, Funny

    If the FBI wants to build databases of people who make offhand, whimsical comments in online forums I say more power to them. I work for a major storage vendor.

    --
    If libertarians are so opposed to effective government, why don't they all move to Somalia?
  10. Re:This guy already won the lottery by Culture20 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Here's his facebook if you want to leave him a message

    He probably has it filtered.

  11. Re:Take off and nuke Marshall, TX from orbit ... by slick7 · · Score: 2, Funny

    If the FBI wants to build databases of people who make offhand, whimsical comments in online forums I say more power to them. I work for a major storage vendor.

    That's ok, just don't work in a book repository.

    --
    The mind conceives, the body achieves, the spirit manifests.