The likes of Patent Watchdog



Summary: News and remarks about the element in high technology which contributes nothing at all yet pockets big profits

Every now and then we find some sites that promote software patents. A Web site called "The Software Intellectual Property Report" tells us that "A Northern District of California court has rejected an argument that “a method of executing an instruction” was not patent eligible subject matter. Nazomi Communications, Inc. v. Samsung Telecommunications, Inc., No. C-10-05545 (N.D. Cal. March 21, 2012). The representative claim, reproduced below, recited a method by which a Java interpreter could more efficiently access byte codes."

Another post says that the "USPTO Issues Preliminary Mayo Guidelines", but it is clear that the USPTO is all in favour of more patents on just about everything conceivable. "It's Time To Re-Establish That If A Patent Blocks Progress, It's Unconstitutional," alleges Masnick, but sadly, in reality, it is lobbyists (corporate proxies) who determine public policy. Among those who employ many lobbyists there is Intellectual Ventures, the world's biggest patent troll, which according to the site of patent boosters makes a lot of money without making a single product:

● Intuit and Verizon have paid $120 million and $350 million respectively to IV in order to have access to its patent portfolio and, of course, to curtail the threat of legal action. According to a 2008 10-k filing, Verizon agreed to pay $100 million to IV in a non-exclusive licensing deal, while the company also invested $250 million "to become a member in a limited liability company" giving it rights to "certain intellectual property" in return for an annual licence fee. As the article notes, Verizon was not among the mobile carriers sued for patent infringement by IV in February. Looking at the amount Verizon has paid out, if IV prevails in its action against Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile, the odds must be that it will be looking at a very big pay-day and some very useful on-going licensing revenues.

All those costs are in turn passed to the public. It's like all of us are subsidising patent trolls which contribute nothing to anyone.

"It's like all of us are subsidising patent trolls which contribute nothing to anyone."Meanwhile we learn that "the company that claims it invented the mobile Internet sells software businesses to focus on patents" and to quote the article: "Nasdaq-listed Openwave Systems, which claims it invented the mobile Internet, this morning announced that it has sold its software products businesses to investment firm Marlin Equity Partners so it can ‘focus on its intellectual property’."

Here we are in a world which facilitates parasites and rewards them for nothing at all. The wasteful element which is patent lawyers needs to be eliminated/starved if we wish to drive prices down and innovate a lot more peacefully as scientists. Jobs would be created -- real jobs -- if patent lawyers were put out of work. ⬆