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Angry Birds maker Rovio sued over app patents

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Angry Birds maker Rovio sued over app patents

#11

Post by Produce »

almightygod wrote: post #9
wccrawford wrote: post #2

So yet another 'You've violated our patents, but we aren't saying which ones' story? I don't say this often, but I'm going to this time: That should be illegal. It's a threat, clear and simple. It's an attempt to force them into action without actually having to have anything concrete. It causes a ton of pain and anguish, and costs a lot of money, even if they never actually sue. It's absolutely ridiculous and should…

I liken it to fraudulent DMCA takedown notices which are illegal

Just out of interest, could you provide any articles/resources that describe why they're illegal?

Re: Angry Birds maker Rovio sued over app patents

#12

Post by roc »

null_ptr wrote: post #6

Looks like they went after big companies and studios too, maybe they will get counter-sued out of existence.

How? At best, the big pile of big defendants will manage to get the patent(s) in question invalidated after millions in legal expenses. But as we've seen with Lodsys, they have no shortage of patents in their portfolio.

There's nothing to stop them from taking another patent out of their portfolio and applying the same strategy: shake as much easy settlement money out of the small shops as possible, then swing for the fences.

Re: Angry Birds maker Rovio sued over app patents

#15

Post by smokeyj »

I never understood how the patent office measures "non-obvious". If two companies are using the same technology, it couldn't have been that non-obvious. Add that to the list of central planning gone awry. Of course it started with the best of intentions tho.

Re: Angry Birds maker Rovio sued over app patents

#16

Post by praptak »

Produce wrote: post #11
almightygod wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I liken it to fraudulent DMCA takedown notices which are illegal

Just out of interest, could you provide any articles/resources that describe why they're illegal?

I believe the DMCA itself is a good resource. Look for "penalty of perjury".

Re: Angry Birds maker Rovio sued over app patents

#18

Post by sandstrom »

gte910h wrote: post #10
wccrawford wrote: post #2

So yet another 'You've violated our patents, but we aren't saying which ones' story? I don't say this often, but I'm going to this time: That should be illegal. It's a threat, clear and simple. It's an attempt to force them into action without actually having to have anything concrete. It causes a ton of pain and anguish, and costs a lot of money, even if they never actually sue. It's absolutely ridiculous and should…

Unfortunately Barratry isn't enforced in the US that much: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barratry

If I'm not mistaken Rovio are based in Finland, where software patents don't hold much water.

Re: Angry Birds maker Rovio sued over app patents

#19

Post by seles »

I kept expecting lodsys to just go away. It is now clear they won't.

Now that they have demonstrated how profitable it can be to exploit the laws of patents, there probably will be new companies popping up trying to do the same thing, and it won't stop until their is patent reform.

Re: Angry Birds maker Rovio sued over app patents

#20

Post by astrodust »

sandstrom wrote: post #18
gte910h wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately Barratry isn't enforced in the US that much: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barratry

If I'm not mistaken Rovio are based in Finland, where software patents don't hold much water.

They're selling a product in the US market, so they're subject to US laws so long as they want to continue doing that.
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