...invalidated by USPTO though.
Invalidated by the USPTO thanks to the efforts of the EFF.
Ruling from USPTO Invalidates All Claims Used to Threaten Podcasters
11–20 of 87 posts
Re: Ruling from USPTO Invalidates All Claims Used to Threaten Podcasters
#12Planet Money did a great episode on this patent, using it to talk about the state of the patent system in general: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/05/31/187374157/episode-...
It has interviews with the patent holder, and it's amazing to hear his perspective. (Which I do not agree with.)
Re: Ruling from USPTO Invalidates All Claims Used to Threaten Podcasters
#13Nice work, EFF! Our membership dues at work :)
Re: Ruling from USPTO Invalidates All Claims Used to Threaten Podcasters
#14> EFF Staff Attorney Daniel Nazer, who also holds the Mark Cuban Chair to Eliminate Stupid Patents Best chair name ever.
As I read the title of the chair, my reaction went from "I can't believe Mark Cuban as a Chair named after him" to "That's just about right". Good for him.
Re: Ruling from USPTO Invalidates All Claims Used to Threaten Podcasters
#15...invalidated by USPTO though.
That's like saying "a judge acquitted him" without considering the efforts of the defence.
Re: Ruling from USPTO Invalidates All Claims Used to Threaten Podcasters
#16Thank you for updating the title, it is much clearer now. The EFF does not invalidate patents on their own, much as we would like that to be the case.
Re: Ruling from USPTO Invalidates All Claims Used to Threaten Podcasters
#17Nice work, EFF! Our membership dues at work :)
It is refreshing to get this direct of an effect for my money. This must be how lobbyists feel.
Re: Ruling from USPTO Invalidates All Claims Used to Threaten Podcasters
#18Any figures on how much this invalid patent costed people?
Re: Ruling from USPTO Invalidates All Claims Used to Threaten Podcasters
#19Planet Money did a great episode on this patent, using it to talk about the state of the patent system in general: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/05/31/187374157/episode-... It has interviews with the patent holder, and it's amazing to hear his perspective. (Which I do not agree with.)
They've also done two other great episodes on patents:
412 - http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/10/23/163480928/episode-...
551 - http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2014/07/09/329895088/episode-...
Side topic, but I really wish Planet Money would look into medical re-patenting. Growing up I needed albuterol inhalers occasionally and I remember them costing less than $10, but recently my kid needed one and it was $60 with copay (over $100 without insurance). That's when I found this article: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/us/the-soaring-cost-of-a-s...
TL;DR - Inhalers use CFC's (ozone hole making), but scientists and environmentalists recommended an exception for them when banning CFC's because the amounts were so tiny and the medical benefits so huge. The pharmaceutical industry decided to lobby against the exception so they could reformulate the inhaler and introduce a new patent - and make billions on a 30+ year old drug.
Re: Ruling from USPTO Invalidates All Claims Used to Threaten Podcasters
#20> EFF Staff Attorney Daniel Nazer, who also holds the Mark Cuban Chair to Eliminate Stupid Patents Best chair name ever.
Mark Cuban funded the title with a $250,000 donation in 2012.
"The current state of patents and patent litigation in this country is shameful," said Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks. "Silly patent lawsuits force prices to go up while competition and innovation suffer. That's bad for consumers and bad for business. It's time to fix our broken system, and EFF can help. So that's why part of my donation funds a new title for EFF Staff Attorney Julie Samuels: 'The Mark Cuban Chair to Eliminate Stupid Patents'."
https://www.eff.org/press/releases/eff-patent-project-gets-h...