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X-Plane developer on CBS This Morning about Patent Trolls
Two years ago, Meyer made an X-Plane app for the Android smartphone. Things were going great. Then, this past summer, he received a letter. Meyer said a company called Uniloc was filing suit against him for patent infringement. According to the lawsuit, Uniloc says it owns the idea of a computer program checking a central server for authorization. It's a routine source code from Google that Meyer and many others plug in, simply allowing the app to confirm it was purchased legally. (www.cbsnews.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
There is always someone looking to take a buck from someone else.
The US patent system has been broken for decades and it seems nothing is being contemplated or done to fix this situation. The "trolls", who produce and manufacture nothing and don't ever intend to, now account for roughly half of the patents. A simple fix, produce it or lose it and you've got 3 years to show results.
Patents granted for methods or software, if you're going to allow them in the first place (I wouldn't), should expire after three years, not 20.
In the early days of the auto industry, a guy named Selden held the patent for the automobile. All the manufacturers paid him royalties until Henry Ford told him to go pound sand. That put an end to that.
I'd be interested to know how Ford was able to do that. Unless the patent life had expired.
Computer programs have been checking central servers in the Defense pre-cursor to the Internet and other networks we know today - which places this back in the 70s. If the patent was granted back in the 70s then the US patent would have expired. If the patent was granted later then there is a deficiency in the patent process as you cannot patent what is commonly in use, e.g. if that was the case I'm going to patent the concept of humans drinking liquids:-)
You are probably correct on all counts, BUT, most folks would just as soon settle and get rid of something rather than fight and that is waht they count on. If you will look closely at these there is generally a troll out there claiming patent ownership and a lawyer on % working in tandem, so all they are out initially is their time and filinf fees, whiche are generally next to nothing.
FGS man keep your speeelling up to standard...you are worse than me!
lol, not by far! :)
so I misspelled 2 little ole words, get over it old man.lol