Google and Samsung Sign Global Patent Deal

An anonymous reader writes "Google and Samsung have signed a global patent cross-licensing agreement aimed at reducing 'the potential for litigation' and enhancing innovation. The deal will cover 'a broad range of technologies and business areas' and apply to both existing patents and any filed over the next decade. The move is also expected to strengthen their position against rivals such as Apple, which has filed multiple lawsuits worth billions of dollars for alleged patent infringements."

Comments

1 edge

[i kan reed]

So we have a broken patent system with thousands of broken abusive nodes(companies with dumb patents), and millions of broken abusive edges(suing each other).

But good news, everyone! We removed one edge from the graph, and everything's better now. We're treating the symptoms and not the disease.

Re:1 edge

[JavaBear]

MAD

As in mutually assured destruction. I hate it, and I hate the need for it, but if Google/Samsung etc. don't build a portfolio of essential patents, litigious bastards, like Apple and other patent trolls, will steam-roll them in the courts.

Re:1 edge

[gnasher719]

Interesting how your opinion forgets that Samsung has been trying to stop Apple from selling iPhones. Samsung has actually been threatened by the EU with a fine of up to thirteen billion dollars if they continue patent trolling against Apple and others.

Also blocks startups.

[Anonymous Coward]

So these megacorps can freely use each other's overbroad patents-of-vague-concepts, but any time an independent inventor tries to get a business off the ground, he will be litigated into oblivion.

Patents do not foster innovation, they protect the wealthy from it.

Re:Also blocks startups.

[Nerdfest]

I'm not sure about Samsung, but find me an instance of Google suing someone without being sued first, and no Motorola before Google bought them does not count. Google has not been a patent dick.

There are also some open patent pools that will also help stop the abuses of ... certain companies. Of course, the laws really need to be changed. No software patents, FRAND charges defining 'reasonable' in dollars or percentages, etc.

Re:Also blocks startups.

[PopeRatzo]

but find me an instance of Google suing someone without being sued first

So, as long as they've ever been sued by someone, then it's OK for Google to sue over a different overbroad patent?

This isn't the playground, where "He hit me first!" has any meaning.

Google certainly has the means to defend itself from infringement suits, and by filing it's own suits on different patents, instead of just mounting a defense, they're participating in making the problem worse.

Re:Also blocks startups.

[Chas]

Unfortunately "Stop it! Just stop it!" doesn't work.
The amounts of money involved here are significant enough that simply brushing them off by flat-out winning a court case isn't enough to deter them from trying again, and again and again:

Pretty much the only thing keeping some of these lawsuits at bay are:

A: Massive patent portfolios that can be trotted out, invalidating patent claims, thus costing them money.
B: The threat of being punitively counter-sued based on above-mentioned patent portfolios, thus costing them more money.
C: The possibility of losing one of these counter-suits, possibly bankrupting them, or at least detrimentally disrupting their cash flow.

Would it be EASIER if these companies didn't need to build up monster war chests of patents?
Sure!

In our current legal climate, would it be SMARTER if they didn't?
No fucking way in hell!

Re:Also blocks startups.

[AmiMoJo]

So, as long as they've ever been sued by someone, then it's OK for Google to sue over a different overbroad patent?

That's how patent law works in the US. Both sides show that the other was violating their patents and then the judge tells them to settle their differences out of court. Either that or the aggressor realizes that they stand to lose big time and backs down. It's unfortunately but it's how the game is played, and Google has no choice but to participate.

I'm interested to know what over-broad patents you are referring to, BTW. They certainly don't seem to use anything like the rounded corners nonsense or "on a computer" shenanigans in court.

The market seems unhappy at the moment.

[jeffb (2.718)]

Wonder how much this has to do with this morning's 2% drop in stock price? I'd think this would be reducing uncertainty, tending to drive the price up...

Market headed down Friday, deal announced Sunday

[raymorris]

The current market slide started Friday morning. This deal was announced two days later, on Sunday.
I suspect the Sunday announcement did not cause anything to happen two days before.

Re:Great deal for Samsung, not so much for Google

[oodaloop]

For the most part, not particularly, since Google isn't interested in manufacturing.

Except for Motorola, Nest, and who knows how many other branches and acquisitions. Google may have not been involved much with manufacturing in the past, but the future seems more so.

Unholy Alliance

[DarthVain]

Does anyone else see this as an unholy alliance in the tech war? Google and Samsung just called a truce. Each has huge patent portfolios, and not only that the agreement is binding on future technology for the next 10 years.

Their main competitors being Apple and Microsoft, I am fairly certain hell would freeze over before those two unite...

Pretty strong strategic plan for the future dominance.