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Google Faces Off Against Intellectual Ventures In Landmark Patent Trial

enharmonix writes "Although Google initially invested in Intellectual Ventures, a patent holding firm, the two have since parted ways and are about to face off in court over some technologies used in Motorola (and other) phones. This is an important battle and the timing is significant given Congress's recent interest in patent reform. 'Two of the patents in the upcoming Motorola trial cover inventions by Richard Reisman, U.S. government records show. Through his company, Teleshuttle, Reisman has developed several patent portfolios for various technologies, including an online update service, according to the Teleshuttle website. IV claims that the two Reisman patents cover several of Motorola's older-generation cellphones that have Google Play, a platform for Android smartphone apps. Motorola argues that IV's patents should never have been issued because the inventions were known in the field already."

4 of 53 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I hope google loses by Nemesisghost · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Hmm, that's a bad idea, even if you hate Google. A win for IV in this case means that the horrible status quo of patent trolls can continue with a vengeance. As stated in TFA, a win could convince law makers to support IV in the latest round of IP revisals, and lead to even worse patent trolling.
    And don't forget IV is owned by the even more anti-competitive Apple & Microsoft.

  2. Re:I hope google loses by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    As opposed to the anti-competitive patent troll that is Intellectual Ventures? IV is known for overly broad patents, targeting people who can't afford to fight, and stifling innovation. I mean sure IV isn't Prenda Law in that at least they *try* to pretend to make things, but that's no reason to root against Google who are terrible in their own right.

  3. Re:Massively useless article by elwinc · · Score: 4, Informative

    A more useful article that lists the patent numbers and claims in dispute.

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    --- Often in error; never in doubt!
  4. Re:monopoly on what? mobile? search? dictionary.co by jd2112 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Perhaps you're saying Google has a monopoly on search? Microsoft's Bing division will be sad to hear that they don't exist.

    You mean Bing does exist? I'll have to google it to verify.

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    Any insufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology.