Technicolor Takes Aim At Apple, Samsung, Others for Patent Infringement 161
Master Moose sends this quote from a Bloomberg report:
"When Apple's next iPhone hits store shelves, Technicolor's engineers will rush to get the handset — not to make calls or play games, but to rip it apart. Technicolor, an unprofitable French company that invented the process for color movies used in The Wizard of Oz and countless other classics, plans to cash in on its 40,000 video, audio and optics patents to turn its fortunes around. The company has a team of 220 people dissecting every new smartphone and tablet from industry goliaths such as Apple, Samsung Electronics and HTC for patent infringements. Although Technicolor signed its first licensing deal in the 1950s, de Russe [executive vice-president of intellectual property at Technicolor] said, 'it feels like the rest of the world has just woken up to why patents are interesting.' Patent licensing is the most profitable business of the company."
Technicolor illustration of a broken patent system (Score:5, Insightful)
Sickening.
But it is even more clear than Microsoft claiming patents that cover Linux or Android, and then claiming Linux or Android are building on Microsoft innovations.
Re:Face Palm (Score:3, Insightful)
Clueless People Love Money! (Score:3, Insightful)
Although Technicolor signed its first licensing deal in the 1950s, de Russe [executive vice-president of intellectual property at Technicolor] said, 'it feels like the rest of the world has just woken up to why patents are interesting.' Patent licensing is the most profitable business of the company."
Dude has it wrong. Being a Patent Lawyer is the most Profitable Business.
Woah! You can't have it both ways. (Score:4, Insightful)
Motorola (first mobile call 1973) are being sued [zdnet.com] by Microsoft (formed 1976) because, whilst clearly they are the newbies in this area, each and every time the obvious sequence of events is brought up out come the naysaysers whining about all Motorolas relevant patents having expired. So, these jerks with their '50s technology is somehow relevant, how?
Talk about stifling innovation.... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Technicolor illustration of a broken patent sys (Score:1, Insightful)
Technicolor wants to sue companies to force them to license their patents. (this is how the patent system is supposed to work)
Apple wants to sue companies to prevent them from creating competitive products (THIS is an example of a broken patent system)
Re:Face Palm (Score:3, Insightful)
If nothing else, Technicolor has contributed to that paragon of smoke-and-mirrors: endless growth in gross domestic product. GDP includes funds earned through the "service" of extracting licencing fees, whether sanely justified or obtained by threat of legal oblivion.
Re:Face Palm (Score:4, Insightful)
Not that Apple, et. al., are innocent by any means, but WTF has Technicolor contributed to humanity in the past twenty years??
The thing is, they could have. I remember reading an article about Kodak vs. Fuji and how, while Kodak was busy trying to figure out how to make disposable digital cameras, Fuji was inventing new kinds of films that enhanced the picture on LCD screens. So when the whole LCD TV thing exploded, there were Fuji products -- emphasis to show that it wasn't just patents -- inside every one.
Technicolor is still a viable brand. I remember it. Why aren't they in on that game? Why aren't there Technicolor-branded TV screens? So what if whatever makes a Technicolor TV "Technicolor" has nothing to do with the original Technicolor film process? It's a worthwhile brand, and if Technicolor had been smart and come up with a little TV technology, it might have licensed its name to every TV manufacturer in Asia.
Re:Technicolor illustration of a broken patent sys (Score:3, Insightful)
Well, at least it's Apple. Fuck them, they deserve it.
Re:Face Palm (Score:5, Insightful)
Agreed. Design patents are even more frivolous
Re:Technicolor illustration of a broken patent sys (Score:5, Insightful)
Technicolor wants to sue companies to force them to license their patents. (this is how the patent system is supposed to work)
Apple wants to sue companies to prevent them from creating competitive products (THIS is an example of a broken patent system)
What? You have it completely backwards.
The patent system is exactly designed to prevent the creation of competing products. You invent something and you get to sell that thing exclusively for a limited time, in return for donating the "secret" of its construction to the public domain at the end of that period.
It's the concept of passively sitting on a idea and then trying to extort money from anyone who actually brings a product to market that stifles innovation and acts against the interests of society. If I had my way, the patent system would be use-it-or-lose-it. If you don't make a genuine effort to utilize a patent, you'd have to sell it (not license it) to someone who will or it would become void.
Re:Face Palm (Score:5, Insightful)
They invents a TON of technology, but everyone uses it without licensing. So they are dying.
They actually invent things, /. THEY are the bad guys.
People rip them off,
and on