News Canadian firm sues the tech world

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/11/02/canadian_firm_sues_the_tech_world/1

A Canadian-based IP firm called Wi-LAN has sued 22 companies, including manufacturers and retailers, for patent infringement.

 

That is a shade over the top.

Looking at the companies listed, it all smacks a bit like "We're suing the people with the most money", to me anyway :/

 

this company represents all that is wrong with the patent process. Their only function is to patent a process, not actually invent something, and then sue the **** out of people. Talk about money grubbing b*st*rds

 

Sick patentsystem, Sick Health insurance system, Sick Housefunding system, Sick game rating system, Sick gunlaw system. And still their are people who say: "pride to be american"

I rest my case.

 

*sigh* could we remove the word "Canadian" from the title please? I dont want people to associate this great country with a company like this one.

 

I think you missed the bit where it said this was a Canadian company.

 

We could wait a week or two, and another new's story pop's up titled 'Canadian firm bought out by 22 companies' heh.
Personally, this looks like a publicity stunt, in one way or another, well, it did work, to some extent.

Sam

 

I hate patent trolls.

 

It would make little business sense to sue those with no money
But I agree, it is a bit ridiculous.

 

Yeah, I smell patent troll all over that company. Hopefully the 22 they sued will bury them. IBM vs SCO anyone

 

Open Source ***

I hope these 22 companies gang up and clean that company out.

 

first and third one especialy shouldn't have beeen granted by the patent office the second one I have no idea what the hell it's on about but I don't rearly care. Despite what the law says patents mostly stiffle progress and companies like this are leaches of socity.

 

I think all three of these patents can be smacked down with "Prior Art" fairly easily. 1997/1998? Wasn't GSM around then? And I know that SkyTV was using DSS to scramble their satellite TV signals back then, too.

 

This is one of the problems with the US patent system, the patent granted is retroactive from when the product was invented rather than starting from the time the patent was filed like here in the UK. This means that you can take a look at what someone is doing then file a patent later on the technology they are using then sure them for breaching it even if they have been using it for years.

 

Wouldn't surprise me to find Gordon Gecko running the show at WI-LAN. Fine example of Corporate greed for all to see.

 

I think that the patent law should be that unless you USE your patents in designs or implement them into what you are doing (hoarding patents excluded) then the idea should be fair game.

 

The defendants may be able to call "Laches" on Wi-LAN.

 

That looks more like a dead llama

 

I don't understand how you can wait, like years, to file the complaints

when the product is released, sure i could understand there being a few months to complain, but waiting until everyone is using it to sue them is lame