Tech companies face lawsuit over wireless email

[Dainslaif]

http://www.macrumors.com/2010/07/09/...email-patents/

Noted patent holding firm NTP today announced that it has sued Apple, Google, Microsoft, and several other technology companies for infringement of its patents related to wireless delivery of email.

NTP Incorporated, the company founded by Tom Campana, the inventor of wireless email, yesterday filed lawsuits against Apple, Inc., Google Inc., HTC Corp., LG Electronics Inc., Microsoft Corporation, and Motorola, Inc. in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia for infringing NTP's eight patents related to the delivery of electronic mail over wireless communications systems. Each of the defendants is a manufacturer or developer of either wireless handheld devices or software applications used in the delivery of email across wireless communications systems.

Donald E. Stout, NTP's co-founder, said, "Use of NTP's intellectual property without a license is just plain unfair to NTP and its licensees. Unfortunately, litigation is our only means of ensuring the inventor of the fundamental technology on which wireless email is based, Tom Campana, and NTP shareholders are recognized, and are fairly and reasonably compensated for their innovative work and investment. We took the necessary action to protect our intellectual property."

NTP famously faced off against Research in Motion (RIM) over this same intellectual property, reaching a 2006 settlement in which RIM agreed to pay $612.5 million. Emboldened by its success against RIM and an upholding of many of its patent claims in a review by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, NTP has now decided to take on Apple and other major players over what has become a ubiquitous technological feature for a host of wireless handheld devices.

NTP's business is solely focused on management of its portfolio of over 50 patents primarily related to wireless email delivery, and the company has been criticized as being a "patent troll" for its very aggressive enforcement of its patent rights while having no intention of pursuing the technology itself. The company also has a number of lawsuits still outstanding, one targeting Palm and another group targeting the major U.S. wireless providers: Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile.

[Purrrfect]

I know nothing about this, but are they trying to say, "We had the idea to use a wireless signal to send email, so you can't do that."?

[dejet]

I know nothing about this, but are they trying to say, "We had the idea to use a wireless signal to send email, so you can't do that."?

so it would seem. As it states this company seems to be well know for just keeping a idea then waiting for someone big to try and use it.

[Yabby]

And its shit like this that holds technology and science in general down. It's like those company trying to patent certain strains of DNA to keep others from curing genetic problems.

[DAKPluto]

Hmm...I need to get in on this Patent Troll thing...sounds like my kind of job! lol

[Kaisha]

There really needs to be a timeframe set on patents for the amount of time you can 'wait' before jumping on claiming your ideas are being infringed. Shit is rediculous. Even if it turns into a game of cat-and-mouse and trying to find companies that are hiding said infringement technology until said 'time' passes over. Enjoy your busted system USA.

[Dainslaif]

I know nothing about this, but are they trying to say, "We had the idea to use a wireless signal to send email, so you can't do that."?

It's more "it's our technology, and you're using it in your product, so we'd like all the licensing money you should have paid to use our tech".

Like Kaisha said, it's bullshit that companies can wait until a product is out and established to claim infringement.

Hmm...I need to get in on this Patent Troll thing...sounds like my kind of job! lol

For real, I'm in the wrong business.

[Lucavi]

Is this the new version of spilling coffee on one's self, then suing the company for EZ-money?

[dejet]

Is this the new version of spilling coffee on one's self, then suing the company for EZ-money?

no this is older then that.

[Khajit]

I wonder if you can patent patent trolling.

[Serra]

And its shit like this that holds technology and science in general down. It's like those company trying to patent certain strains of DNA to keep others from curing genetic problems.

This 100 times over.. Annoys the crap out of me that companies can own the rights to biological 'things'. And especially when it's stuff like "hey everyone, we sequenced this protein, we own it now!" Last I checked, we all make these compounds, they didn't start appearing because you discovered them >.> <.<;

[DAKPluto]

I'm going to file a patent on breathing Oxygen.

Every breath you fuckers take, you owe me a dollar.

[SubzeroDiabolos]

I'm going to file a patent on breathing Oxygen.

Every breath you fuckers take, you owe me a dollar.

I patent the idea of patenting the idea of breathing air. Every dollar you make, you owe me 2.

[Minions]

Patent Trolling is..... getting paid to troll! Epic win?

[Akucaen]

And we discover why patents are both a great and HORRIBLE OMFG idea at the same time.