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KSR looming large?? Probably.
Posted 30 August, 2007 by Chris in legal
I found (via CNET) this article that discusses the settlement between Microsoft and Eolas. Recall that Eloas had a patent on some browser technology that was developed at UC then spun out to Eolas. The initial verdict was against Microsoft for infringing and awarded damages totaling over $500 million.
Microsoft was appealing, then this week settled.
The article mentions that Eolas is going to pay a dividend between $60 and $70 per share. With a wild and completely uninformed guess that there are between 5 and 20M shares would put the settlement somewhere between $30M and $150M.
An updated article in the NYT mentions that:
Microsoft has been challenging the patent at the United States Patent and Trademark Office as well. The agency in May said it would consider whether Microsoft or Mr. Doyle was the first to invent the feature and thus entitled to the patent. The agency agreed to consider the matter after it reissued the Microsoft patent with new wording that mirrored what is written in the university’s patent.
So, would you settle for $100M, or risk $500M that the appeal is upheld?
Deal or No Deal? That’s the question.
The way the wind is blowing w.r.t patents and obviousness, they took the deal.
Smart move.
More on Patents and KSR…
Posted 29 August, 2007 by Chris in legal
There was an article in todays NYT about an entrepreneur that recently won his patent case, in part, because of the KSR ruling. I’ve written about this here and here.
In summary, it stated that (emphasis mine):
The ‘281 patent is INVALID because it is OBVIOUS and ANTICIPATED. The patent-insuit,
simply put, is a computerized method for [...]
I think I’m going to have to get myself an iPhone…
Posted 28 August, 2007 by Chris in misc
This is pretty cool…
Open Source and Community: Does it matter?
Posted 20 August, 2007 by Juergen in Community, Development, Open Source
Funny what comes to your mind when you are forced to sit for 13 hours straight in one tight, crammed spot. At least that was my experience recently on a flight from Sydney to SnapLogic’s California offices in San Mateo. Trying to distract myself from aching limbs and my wistful thoughts about the far-away comforts [...]
“There’s more going on here than simple mismanagement”
Posted 20 August, 2007 by Chris in misc
I think that about sums up the Sentinel fiasco. How else could a cash management firm get caught up in the mortgage meltdown.