Facebook Accuses BlackBerry of Stealing Its Voice-Messaging Tech

Facebook is suing BlackBerry, claiming the company stole its voice-messaging technology and other patented processes. The social media company is seeking unspecified damages for infringement of six patents. Bloomberg reports: In addition to the voice-messaging patent, Facebook cites infringement of patented technology that improves how a mobile device delivers graphics, video and audio and another that centralizes tracking and analysis of GPS data. In March, BlackBerry sued Facebook in federal court in Los Angeles, accusing the social media giant of infringing on its mobile messaging patents. BlackBerry claimed Facebook made unauthorized use of its technology in its own instant messenger service, Facebook Messenger, and in WhatsApp Messenger and Instagram.

You want to admit that?

[alvinrod]

Why would either of these companies want to publicly admit that they've been rummaging through each other's trash bins. That's a bit like being a musician and deciding to rip off Kesha.

If you're going to steal, find someone actually worth stealing from.

Re:

[zlives]

i can see a struggling company like BB going for patent trolling... i guess FB is feeling the pinch too?!! 24% user drop in US?

BB actually created technology

[Anonymous Coward]

BB actually created technology, that's not trolling, that's licensing. Facebook on the other hand? I'd be surprised if there's anything not slimy in the whole organization. To quote a friend "I quit when I realized that there wasn't anything redeeming in the entire enterprise."

Re:

[Oswald McWeany]

i can see a struggling company like BB going for patent trolling... i guess FB is feeling the pinch too?!! 24% user drop in US?

Not 24% user drop unfortunately. 24% less people using the "app" on their phone. Presumably most don't use phone or use website on phone instead.

Re:

[sonamchauhan]

The generic public who ultimately pay the price of excessively broad patents in the form of higher prices for goods and services, and more and more ads attacking our limited attention span.

What did one dinosaur say to the other?

[TheDarkener]

I dunno, they both died.

Facebook is one to throw stones

[WCMI92]

Considering that Zuck stole the whole idea from others to begin with!

Perverse Incentive to being a patent troll

[sonamchauhan]

Perverse Incentive: DO NOT, under any circumstances, make any products. That way, you don't infringe anything. Just sue everything who happens to 'infringe' on your excessively broad patents.

The patent system should force inventors to *demonstrate* their invention to a panel of peers, whose responses should be considered.

This boy, for example, should have been forced to demonstrate his unique method of swinging to playground buddies:
https://www.newscientist.com/a... [newscientist.com]

obligatory

[astrofurter]

Patents stifle innovation.

End software patents now!

So Messenger intercepts your GPS

[UpnAtom]

From the article: "centralizes tracking and analysis of GPS data."

Good to know.

How did they patent voice messages?

[sabbede]

Seriously, what prior art wasn't there? My iPhone has had the feature for I don't know how long, plus there's things like voicemail. Or emailing sound files. Recording a sound clip and sending it to someone is such a basic concept that I don't see how anyone could have done it in such a novel way that it was worth a patent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUeHi47Lovo

[ASSIYA]

(Death Sea)!! !! #banglatechaaak #deathsea