Bonum Certa Men Certa

Patent Trolls Network-1 and Microsoft-Connected Finjan and Intellectual Ventures in the News Again

"Apple has agreed to pay $25 million to settle a patent infringement lawsuit brought by Network-1 Technologies, which was suing over a patent from 1999 that basically just describes a simple file system function." (Source: Apple pays $25 million in settlement with patent troll)

Summary: Microsoft's extensive network of patent trolls and parasites as seen in this week's (mostly yesterday's) news -- a network Microsoft habitually sics on its competition -- and a reminder of the menace known as Network-1 (article on the right, excerpt above)

THE plague of patent trolls (especially in the US) is not a solved issue. Sure, things are getting a little better, but there are many US patents (still being granted by the USPTO) which can potentially be used by trolls at any time. There needn't even be litigation; sometimes blackmail/extortion is enough for these trolls to extract 'protection' money, as is most often the case (it's impossible to tell just how many times it happens, maybe a hundred thousand times per year).



"There needn’t even be litigation; sometimes blackmail/extortion is enough for these trolls to extract ‘protection’ money, as is most often the case (it’s impossible to tell just how many times it happens, maybe a hundred thousand times per year)."Finjan, a Microsoft-connected patent troll, has been very active recently. It bragged about new lawsuits early in the month and did it again later. So several times so far this month (even in August when everyone is away), Finjan filed lawsuits, bragging about it in paid press releases. How many unknown firms out there paid 'protection' money to this malicious troll? Yesterday, Watchtroll showed its true face by lobbying for this troll or at least justifying this behaviour. This kind of support for trolls is why we call that site Watchtroll. At least it's consistent in its defense of trolls. Remember that Finjan is little more than a patent litigation/shakedown firm (that's where money comes from). Maybe it had some real products in the past, but that's not where money comes from these days.

"So for the past 14 years it has been little more than a patent troll."The same goes for Network-1. Yesterday, Seeking Alpha published this very long and promotional article about Network-1, basically recommending it. Calling a troll (MPE) a "Patent Company" (even in the headline) is misleading. Here is some background: "Network-1 discontinued its software product offering in December 2002. In November 2003 Network-1 commenced a new business consisting of the acquisition, development, licensing and protection of its intellectual property which currently consists of a portfolio of telecommunications and data networking patents. In February 2004, the Company initiated its licensing efforts relating to its patent (U.S. Patent No. 6,218,930) covering the remote delivery of power over Ethernet cables (the "Remote Power Patent")."

So for the past 14 years it has been little more than a patent troll. "There was a 2,000% rise in the stock after the business model switch," the article says. "But to be fair, it was from 2003, when the dot bomb had flattened the stock to near zero. As security software peddler, its results were consistently pathetic, typically losing over five times its sales in loss from continuing operations."

"So what we have here is a classic transition from production to trolling."The patents are here to stay for years to come. To quote: "How these court cases turn out is very topsy-turvy and a constant battle against the expiration of the patents. The Remote Power Patent that currently has a yearly revenue stream coming to NTIP from Cisco and others expires in 2020. But expirations don't necessarily mean no revenue. For example, there is the case of the Mirror Worlds patents. In 2013, NTIP bought some patents from this company that Apple was infringing on."

The troll is now busy buying some new 'ammunition', too: "Otherwise known as the Cox patents, they were "12 issued patents that relate to identifying or tagging uploaded media content and taking business actions based on the identification" as the website puts it. In 2013, Network-1 bought the patents and is filing for more based on the original patents. In 2014, it began proceedings against Google, specifically against its subsidiary, YouTube, alleging it uses this technology without a license. One has to wonder how many more are using it. In June 2016, the Patent Trial and Appeals Board upheld the patentability of 119 of the 129 claims. Another objection raised by YouTube, Covered Business Method, was reviewed and ruled in favor of Network-1 in October 2016."

"We quite frankly hope that parasites' cheerleading sites like IAM will go away."So what we have here is a classic transition from production to trolling.

Contrast this with a new (hours old) article about another Microsoft-connected patent troll, Intellectual Ventures. It starts by noting the connection to Microsoft:

Founded in 2000, Intellectual Ventures "has earned a special brand of hatred in the business world as the ultimate patent troll. It doesn't delay your flight like United, buffer your movie stream like Comcast, or shellac your shrimp with oil like BP. Rather, it hoards ideas." It "goes around to companies and says: 'Hey, you want to protect yourself from lawsuits? We own tons of patents. Make a deal with us. Our patents will not only cover everything you're doing in your business, no one will dare sue you." "It then wields this intellectual-property portfolio—the world's largest—like a weapon. Companies can either pay up or face a lawsuit."

Co-founders Nathan Myhrvold and Edward Jung "formerly served in high-level positions at Microsoft. Peter Detkin also played a key management role in developing Intellectual Ventures. In one of patent law's great ironies, Detkin coined the derogatory term 'patent troll' during his tenure" as the vice president and assistant general counsel at Intel. Myhrvold, who was once "the 'chief gastronomic officer' of Zagat Survey, the company that publishes the eponymous restaurant guides," is "the kind of guy the press loves to profile."


Notice the mention there of Peter Detkin (from Intel)? Well, citing IAM (the voice of patent trolls and friend of Intellectual Ventures), hours ago Benjamin Henrion recalled "Peter Detkin: BTW, I still have the original troll that was the inspiration (the doll, not Ray Niro) in my office" (Ray Niro is dead now and his company is defunct).

"These are patent firms, not real firms that just happen to have patents."We quite frankly hope that parasites' cheerleading sites like IAM will go away. They perpetuate the trolling epidemic and yesterday IAM published an analysis of Sandoz Inc v Amgen, basically in the form of a firm's paid puff piece (self promotion). They just want as much patent damage as possible and they are funded by those who profit from the damage. These are patent firms, not real firms that just happen to have patents. Here is a new press release in which Code is bragging about patents (in a paid press release) rather than actual products. It's really quite the elegant symptom of companies gone wrong/rogue, like its neighbour Novell about a decade ago. All they become is a big pile of patents.

Recent Techrights' Posts

Misinformation is Not Intelligence
It's low-grade plagiarism and it fails to show any signs of intelligence
'Tech' Gimmicks Are for Advertising, Not for Usability
In the case of Microsoft, they latched onto slop
BetaNews Sacked Brian Fagioli and Deleted His Comments, But He Still Tries to Use the "BetaNews" Brand for Self-Affirmation
Fagioli takes the work of other people
[Meme] Hard to Be a Better Person?
Sooner or later they'll realise that for each pound I spend they need to spend about 1,000 times more
New US Editor for The Register is a Microsoft Booster
"Avram Piltch has served as US editor for The Register since July 2025."
Reda Demanded That FSF Removes Its Founder, Now Reda Works Directly for Microsoft
A sellout and a traitor, first working for GAFAM, now Microsoft
PCLinuxOS is Raising Money to Support Development After Fire Incident at the Host
PCLinuxOS has not had announcements lately
Over 3 Months Later Brett Wilson LLP Still Unable to Recruit a Media Lawyer?
"Immediate start", but not found... still unfilled
 
Links 24/07/2025: Convicted Felon Quits UNESCO, "Vibe Coding Goes Wrong", and Signalgate Gets Worse
Links for the day
Gemini Links 24/07/2025: Forgejo Woes and Smolnet Directory Week
Links for the day
Links 24/07/2025: Storage Tapes Still Kicking, Windows TCO 'on Steroids' (Microsoft-Induced Catastrophes)
Links for the day
Bobby Borisov (LinuxIac) Has Apparently Begun Experimenting With LLM Slop, So We Cannot Trust LinuxIac Anymore
So did LinuxIac become a slopfarm? Maybe not yet, but it's getting there
Informa TechTarget's ITProToday is Becoming a Slopfarm Generated by Microsoft Chatbots
Busted.
The LLM Con Artists Are Highly Destructive
Who will ever be held accountable for this scam?
Too Bribed by Microsoft to Move to Free Software?
Microsoft lies and Microsoft bribery (in politics)
Microsoft Hiring European Politicians is Another Form of Bribery; There Should be a European Investigation
When Microsoft bribed people in Europe for OOXML (there's no denying this!) a European government delegate said that Microsoft operated like a cult
Speed of the Site Should be Better Now
The "bot attacks" impact the speed of the sister site too
Getting More From AnalogNowhere
Recently we used many images from AnalogNowhere
Microsoft, Microsofters and 'Secure' Boot Shills Already Storming the LWN Report About Expiring Certificate, Shooting the Messenger
LWN has clearly stuck a nerve
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, July 23, 2025
IRC logs for Wednesday, July 23, 2025
Disable "Secure" Boot Today (the Only Better Time to Do So Was Yesterday)
Don't trust anything Red Hat tells you about security
Links 23/07/2025: Windows Killed Company After 150+ Years, US Government Mimics Russia's Attacks on the Media
Links for the day
Freedom Generally Wins at the End, History Shows (But It's Constantly Attacked, Too)
At the moment people realise "Linux" (e.g. Android) isn't enough to guarantee any freedoms
“Inhumane” and “Disgusting” Mass Layoff Execution, According to Microsoft Staff
The workers are looking for other places to work
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) Has a New Slogan for Its 40th Anniversary
The freedoms are what's most important
Microsoft is Trying to "Pull a Nokia" on GNU/Linux as Desktop/Laptop Platform
We all remember that rather well, don't we?
LLM Slopfarms gbhackers.com, "Cyber Press" and CyberSecurityNews Are Drowning Google News (and Shame on Google for Feeding and Facilitating Them)
All are run by the same people
Links 23/07/2025: Droplets GUI Patent Monopoly Challenge, Nokia Leverages Illegal Patent Court Against Rivals
Links for the day
Gemini Links 23/07/2025: Community in Geminispace and Challenges With Old Computers
Links for the day
Links 23/07/2025: Slop Patents Tackled, Slop Copyright Misuses Tackled by Politicians
Links for the day
Our Three Lawsuits Against Microsofters Are About to Become a Lot More Relevant to GNU/Linux
The Master will easily understand why Garrett has been attacking me since 2012
Links 23/07/2025: Retreating From Transparency on Jeffrey Epstein, We No Longer Have Press Freedom
Links for the day
Gemini Links 23/07/2025: Piano and Food
Links for the day
New and Old
On Ageism in Tech
Slop Is Not Intelligence and It Does Not Enhance Productivity
Like voice dictation, which cannot tell the difference between "sheet" and "shit"
EPO Crimes Are Spreading to the British Court System
Society is now paying the price for failing to tackle crimes at the EPO
It's Time to Dump SharePoint and Here's What to Use Instead
Nextcloud, ownCloud, Bookstack, MediaWiki, and MediaGoblin
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, July 22, 2025
IRC logs for Tuesday, July 22, 2025
Brett Wilson LLP Has Gone Silent
Sometimes silence says more than nothing at all
Slopwatch: LinuxSecurity, Planet Ubuntu, and LinuxTechLab
some slopfarms show no remorse and they don't value their reputation at all
Links 23/07/2025: Book Bans, Storms, and Kangaroo Court for Patents Commits More Unlawful Acts of Overreach
Links for the day
Gemini Links 22/07/2025: Thinkpad and Pinephone
Links for the day
Links 22/07/2025: "Blog Restart" and Microsoft Clobbered by “ToolShell"
Links for the day
Global Warming and Global GAFAM Energy-Wasting
Burn more money (borrowed, loans), then hope the waste will somehow translate into profit?
No Compliance With the European Patent Convention (EPC) at the European Patent Office (EPO)
It's about preventing competition against this autocracy
Blue-Collar Trolls vs White-Collar Trolls
Examples of white-collar trolls
Apple Vision Pro Failed So Badly That Its Sales Are About 2,000 Times Smaller Than iPhone Sales
What's left for Apple to offer other than hype?
To Millions of People "Year of the Linux Desktop" Was Some Time in the 1990s (Bootable GNU/Linux as a Complete Operating System is Over 33 in Age)
In some sense, "year of the Linux desktop" was 33 years ago
Make No Assumptions (or Demands) About the Screen Resolution Used by Other People
There are usability aspects, aside from accessibility aspects
Why Wayland (and XWayland) Won't Solve the Key Problem It Proclaims to be Tackling (the Same Is True for Rust)
The problem isn't Wayland per se but the false promises and efforts to force everybody to move to it whilst insulting or demonising everyone who won't play along
They Don't Tell Us that 'Digitalisation' (Now Sold as "Hey Hi") Just Means Customers Become Unpaid Staff and Are Made Accountable
People are being conditioned to associate technology with something undesirable, at times even unbearable
Diplomatic Immunity Should Not Exist for Anybody
The EPO in its current form gradually 'normalises' the end of European democracy
Brett Wilson LLP Stopped Sending Me Papers When I Showed It had Sent Me Over 5 Kilograms of Legal Papers
A week ago we lodged our third lawsuit
Microsoft Mass Layoffs and Shutdowns Became the New Normal at Microsoft
Microsoft mass layoffs became a topic of everyday media coverage since May
Amazon Web Services (AWS) Has Layoffs and Microsoft Gaming/Entertainment Division Has an Uncertain Future
it's good to see all those horrible things crashing and burning
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, July 21, 2025
IRC logs for Monday, July 21, 2025
FSF "Raised Almost $139,000 During This Summer Campaign"
"Thank you for making a stand against dystopia!"
Gemini Links 22/07/2025: VPS Exploited and Fear of View
Links for the day