Companies Claim iTMS, iPod Patent Infringement 506
ryan_fung writes "A Hong Kong based company, Pat-rights, is claiming that Apple's iTunes Music Store is infringing their patent on 'Internet User Identity Verification' and is demanding Apple pay 'a reasonable license fee, 12% of gross sales of iTunes music tracks and iPods.'" (They also claim infringement by eBay, porn sites, and others.) Reader bblazer links to a Register article which mentions both the Pat-Rights claim and another suit entirely. From the article: "Apple has found itself facing a pair of intellectual property challenges that separately claim its FairPlay DRM system and its iPod music player contain technologies to which the Mac maker does not have a right. First up, Lake Forest, Illinois-based Advanced Audio Devices (AAD) alleges its patent, number 6,587,403, for a 'music jukebox,' filed in August 2000 but granted in July 2003, covers the kind of thing Apple has brought to market as the iPod."
Woo! (Score:5, Funny)
business plan. (Score:5, Funny)
2. Take out patent on "Prior art".
3. Profit!
Re:bullshit patent (Score:1, Funny)
I'll agree with you though, that some things are just so obvious that it defies belief the PO would grant a patent. And a music jukebox? Come on, every seen Happy Days?
BTW, I patent "God".
Comment removed (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Arg (Score:3, Funny)
problem solved :)
if it were only *that* simple...
Re:This patent crap is getting absolutely absurd. (Score:5, Funny)
Patent Warz (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Arg (Score:1, Funny)
Fuckin Stupid (Score:2, Funny)
BTW - I'm putting a patent on the alphabet - and I want $.01 for every letter you guys type - or just send me $5 via pay pal and we are good ;)
Re:They Patented WHAT? (Score:3, Funny)
Please be advised that Martin Heidegger appears to own a world-wide patent on the use of hyphens to form larger word-entities.
Should you lay claim to this piece of IP, prior-art in the form of Heidegger's book Being and Time (Sein und Zeit) has a great deal of prior-art.
Re:Does iTunes use "audio signals" or data (Score:3, Funny)
Re:..in august 2000 (Score:5, Funny)
"I want the people to know that they still have 2 out of 3 branches of the government working for them, and that ain't bad."
Re:What do you expect from a company called Pat-Ri (Score:2, Funny)
I'm sorry, but Darl(tm) is a registered trademark of SCO. In addition, the phrase "is that you" is under copyright. If you wish, you may license it for $699 per instance.
Finally, we are seeking a patent on "A symbolic method of indicating a desire for more information," so you should also refrain from using the question mark on the at of the sentence. Without such protection, our ability to innovate will be seriously compromised.
jukebox, and treble damages (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Maybe you forgot... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:What do you expect from a company called Pat-Ri (Score:3, Funny)