Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Google Asks USPTO To Reexamine Lodsys Patents

Google Asks To Reexamine Lodsys Patents http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Some how I missed this report by Wired about Google reacting to Lodsys' litigation against App developers. Google have requested USPTO for reexamination of two of Lodsys's four patents: the '078 patent and the '565 patent, both of which were used in litigation against app developers.
But again, FOSS Patents tells us that this request by itself might not be enough unless Google supplements it with more useful and forceful measures. With our limited law knowledge we do not know what those measures are (you can follow and read those articles to understand better) but we applaud the Google's move. Those app developers do not have the means to continue in such quests.
Apple is also actively engaged in these litigious cases by Lodsys to support developers.
Hopefully this will get a stay on the lawsuits (FOSS patents think this is hard because Eastern Texas courts where Lodsys filled the cases has a habit of only staying 20% of the law suits) but I guess 20% is better than none. EFF has also sounded on the issue;

“Reexaminations are often times a tool used to stay ongoing litigation, It’s much, much cheaper than federal litigation, which on average costs between two and five million dollars.” ” said Julie Samuels, staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-profit digital rights advocacy group.
Wired via FOSS Patents


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