Microsoft Faces Additional Patent Lawsuits
Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: Microsoft, Patent, Infringement, Texas, Word | Themes: Software, Business
Microsoft now faces two additional patent infringement lawsuits.
Microsoft recently took a painful knee to the groin when a Texas judge ordered the company to halt sales of its popular, widely used Word program within 60 days. Microsoft's problems have been worldwide as of late, recently fighting with the EU in regards to the integration of Internet Explorer and Media Player into its Windows OS. Now, according to InformationWeek, more patent suits have been filed against the software company by Allvoice Developments US and EMG Technology.
Apparently, Allvoice, a provider of speech recognition systems, claims that the speech recognition support built into Windows XP and Windows Vista violates its patent on the technology. In addition to the infringement, the company also alleges that Microsoft approached the company in regards to using the technology, but then later declined.
EMG, on the other hand, says that products based on Windows CE, PocketPC, and Windows Mobile infringe on its patent of viewing Internet content on a mobile device. This isn't the first time EMG has filed a suit of this nature: the company made similar accusations with Apple in a previously filed suit.
Both companies are seeking unspecified damages.
InformationWeek believes that both cases will be dismissed as nuisance suits brought on by "patent trolls." However, the order passed last week by Judge Davis has put things into a different perspective. It's also believed that plaintiffs are more likely to receive a favorable judgment when filing in the Eastern District, deemed as the "patent lawsuit capitol of the nation" by the New York Times.
However InformationWeek may be correct, that the cases will be dismissed, however that will definitely not stop further attempts to attack and drain Microsoft while its still down on its knees.
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And what happened to that lawsuit, did Apple wimp-out and settle? There's no way to can patent "viewing Internet content on a mobile device". What exactly did they patent, a particular device, a mobile web browser, what?
I will file a law suit to, as I patented the use of hands to use a keyboard which Microsoft use to enter data into their OS.
Have they no shame??!!
Make that three additional lawsuits as I just sued Microsoft yesterday for infringing my patent of making mice with more than one button.
all this talk about suing Microsoft is just redic.
God I hate the patent system.
I think the current patent system needs a severe overhaul.
A way to still protect the inventor/propriater of the technology while not turning them into sue happy rapscallions.
And what happened to that lawsuit, did Apple wimp-out and settle? There's no way to can patent "viewing Internet content on a mobile device". What exactly did they patent, a particular device, a mobile web browser, what?
No kidding. Like wtf... I'm gonna have to pay royalties to EMG every time I look at something on the internet on my cellphone... -_-'
The Pirate Party is seeking ways to abolish patent and copyright systems as they hinder development, but they too will come to their senses and look for ways to decrease the extend of patents to rightful gain for the inventor and free for all after that, else the small inventors don't get a chance; and don't know what about copyright but 2 million dollars for 24 songs is way damn wrong and just extend the Pirate Party to peoples vote reach and you'll see how people react!!!
can we bomb that East Texas district?
all these patent troll lawsuits are getting on my nerves...
http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] ,2390.html
Excellent article, and good use of patents, but at the expense of development.
Patent trolls are the worst!!
Patents should be given limited execution/validity time, variable depending on who invented the thing (MS for example should be given less time than MrUnknownSoftwareMaker) and time should change/shorten if the inventor sells it to the big guy, and if the inventors does want to develop, they have enough time to be a recognized brand until competition kicks in with the end of the patent.
Patents this way would be limited in total number and easily searchable by function. Current patent system has loads of useless crap patented and people feel free to sue for partial infringements all the time.
Make that three additional lawsuits as I just sued Microsoft yesterday for infringing my patent of making mice with more than one button.
Commodore/Amiga orginally had the patent on the two button mouse. That went to Gateway and to who ever owns them now. Don't know if there is a patent on the three button moouse that was used on Unix system. I think microsoft's patent is on the wheel mouse.
Count me as a member of the Pirate Party as soon as it enters my country!
Is that why Sony took right of patern about recognition of emotions and gestures? To sue MS big time with their Natal when they bring it out to the public even if MS demoed it way before Sony paterns it into legal form?
lol wtf is up with those patern lawsuits? I meen, there has to be a law to counterattack failed lawsuits SPECIALLY against patern ones so they will think twice before they fill one up
It just came to me that people in the Legal community (attorneys and judges) use WordPerfect a lot, so it's easy for the judge to dismiss Word. If it actually negatively effected his job, he might have to recuse himself from the case or think otherwise about his ruling.
It just came to me that people in the Legal community (attorneys and judges) use WordPerfect a lot, so it's easy for the judge to dismiss Word. If it actually negatively effected his job, he might have to recuse himself from the case or think otherwise about his ruling.
I +1ed you cause thats so true. My ex in CA was working for her uncle who's a lawyer. I learned two things about him. 1st he does lots and lots of drugs and 2 he uses WordPerfect ( found that out when I had to take care of the PCs in their offices etc.. )
HEY how do you think i feel?! I invented the scroll wheel and had that idea ripped off! DAMN YOU ERIC MICHELMAN!
Windows XP violates patents and they're suing NOW?
I patented cellular mitosis and the process of exchanging oxygen for carbon-dioxide in a cell. But I have yet to collect for every living being on the planet infringing on my IP!
Patents are for whores, people that want to get control of ideas and prevent them from spreading to improve the real world.
After their patent lawsuit against Tom Tom, I have trouble feeling sorry for them.
can we bomb that East Texas district?all these patent troll lawsuits are getting on my nerves...
Cant... Its patent by (insert racy name here)
Zeesh what is this all these patent lawsuits that just so happen to appear all at once. I feel like the guys pointing out how green peace is more anti capitalism then environmentalism, i smell conspiracy!
"...claims that the speech recognition support built into Windows XP and Windows Vista violates its patent on the technology"
so whats so special about now? if they've been infringing since the release of XP? could it be that they were sued by someone else recently and you just want to jump on the band wagon / money train?
Patents are for whores, people that want to get control of ideas and prevent them from spreading to improve the real world.
Long live philanthropy!
Just wondering how I'm going to feed my family while inventing all these new ideas!?!
A company? A company supports me through selling products, most likely my inventions. Should I give it to them to sell, and pay me just enough to get by?
The government? The government supports me through taxes, which WE ALL pay (both individuals and businesses) from working. And we will just give away our inventions to other countries for free to profit from and sell back to us? I believe the government has enough debt to worry about, before even thinking about philanthropy.
Articles like this almost make me want to buy MS products as a way of telling these patent-sueing dicks where to go because this is all just plain ridiculous. Really very ridiculous.
If Microsoft was a open source organization i doubt they would be suffering as much. Also they seem to negotiate in bad faith which is what buried them in their in the previously in the lats case.
Also you would have to be really stupid to take on the EU in their back yard. They got slapped by the EU for the internet explorer integration thing in the past only fools repeat the same twice. I do not feel sorry for them at all.
Speech Recognition... Really.. XP and Vista Speech Recognition are horrid.. I wouldn't be jumping up and down about the patent(and possible violation) even if I did own the rights to it... big LOL
Good, you can only bully, steal, buy out, underhanded back room deals for so long before it catches up to you.
I hope MS gets taken to the cleaners for their thievery and treachery.
It is abundantly clear that World's government patent offices are staffed by either incompetents or criminals taking bribes, or most likely, both. Usually, a patent should be nullified if it can be shown that it was a trivial extension of existing technology that would be obvious to one skilled in the art. Skilled in the art? Well, in this case, any idiot who has ever Googled something can see it is a trivial extension of existing technology to another (very similar) medium. Thus my conclusion about the character of government patent office staff. Put more simply, they suck!
next thing you know xerox will be suing over patent infringement over the mouse and the GUI. hahahaha. FTW xerox will pwn you!
I think the current patent system needs a severe overhaul.A way to still protect the inventor/propriater of the technology while not turning them into sue happy rapscallions.
I think that it's called the GNU or GPL. haha. :-p