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Facebook sued over 'like' button

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Facebook sued over 'like' button

#23

Post by psionski »

adrianonantua wrote: post #20

This is getting ridiculous by the minute. Being a software developer, I fear sooner or later I'll be a target. I feel it's just a matter of time. But worst of all is the feeling of helplessness of it all: it's a big dog fight. Small ones either have to run with tail between legs (pay up, give up, throw work away) or fight to eventually get crushed (by the outcome or by being out of financial breath in the process). I…

Go to a country outside of their jurisdiction, either physically or virtually (depends mostly on destination climate).

Re: Facebook sued over 'like' button

#24

Post by roc »

DanBC wrote: post #7
blauwbilgorgel wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here is the original complaint (pdf) http://www.rembrandtip.com/pdf/2013-02-04RembrandtSocialComp... (With Facebook and AddThis as defendants) Here are the two patents in question http://www.google.com/patents/US6415316 (1998, Method and apparatus for implementing a web page diary) http://www.google.com/patents/US6289362 (2001, System and method for generating, transferring and using an annotated universal address) A…

I'm having trouble understanding the claims and drawings of the US6289362 patent, especially all the AUA stuff. i) It feels a lot more relevant to something like Pinterest. ii) Isn't the product they're describing just a copyright violating website? iii) Isn't the core of the product, the AUA, just a list of URLs? Isn't this just a regular CMS? Were there really no CMSs before 1998?

The drawings are irrelevant; It's always and only about the claims.

i) I'm not familiar with how Pinterest works, so I'm no help there.

ii) they're describing essentially any annotation of content (including a link to content), provided the conditional presentation of that annotation happens on the client side.

iii) Patents are granted to inventions comprising all the elements of their claims. Reducing things to their 'core' is a habit of engineers that hampers understanding of the patent system.

The only things that are relevant as prior art, are those that contain all the elements.

A CMS that contained annotations along with content is not prior art for Claim 1 of the '362 patent, if it did conditional rendering based on that annotation on the server. As Claim 1 includes sending an applet, template and data to the client, to handle the conditional presentation.

If a given implementation doesn't send an applet, it wouldn't count as prior art if it came before, and it wouldn't infringe if it came after.

Re: Facebook sued over 'like' button

#28

Post by tuxidomasx »

tathagatadg wrote: post #26

What should a 2-3 person startup do if they find themselves in such a situation (i.e. get sued by a patent troll)?

This makes me wonder if there is a market for patent troll insurance. Pay a small monthly fee and get legal protection or money to hire your own counsel in the event of a lawsuit. It seems to be a pain point that small startups worry about, since it can be pretty deadly to a busines, even if they are innocent.

Re: Facebook sued over 'like' button

#30

Post by logn »

L4mppu wrote: post #5
blauwbilgorgel wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here is the original complaint (pdf) http://www.rembrandtip.com/pdf/2013-02-04RembrandtSocialComp... (With Facebook and AddThis as defendants) Here are the two patents in question http://www.google.com/patents/US6415316 (1998, Method and apparatus for implementing a web page diary) http://www.google.com/patents/US6289362 (2001, System and method for generating, transferring and using an annotated universal address) A…

When will these stupid patents die out?

Now that all of the tech companies have invested billions in them and would logically want to protect their investment and competitive advantage, I don't ever see it ending (since of course corps control government). If we're lucky someone will get an iPhone banned in the US and then all hell will break loose.
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