Fallout From Alcatel-Lucent's Patent Nuclear War With Microsoft Continues
from the be-careful-who-you-launch-against dept
Part of the conventional wisdom in having tech companies apply for lots of patents is that they’re helpful as a “defensive” mechanism against other companies filing patent lawsuits against you. It’s the nuclear stockpiling argument that suggests (without much proof) that the more patents everyone holds, the less likely actual patent litigation will result. That doesn’t seem to be happening, though, as we see more and more patent “nuclear wars” happening. For example, Alcatel-Lucent went after Microsoft on a questionable patent concerning MP3 technology. While Alcatel-Lucent initially won that battle to the tune of $1.5 billion, everything’s gone down hill since then. First, Microsoft hit back at Alcatel-Lucent, dredging up a bunch of patents it claimed the company was violating. Then, a judge overturned the $1.5 billion ruling. Now, Microsoft’s patent attack on Alcatel-Lucent has succeeded, as a judge at the US International Trade Commission (yes, Microsoft is also using the popular loophole in patent law here) has determined that Alcatel-Lucent has infringed, suggesting that its products be barred from the US. While this seems like a silly ruling, it does show how if you’re going to play the game of accusing companies of patent infringement, you might get burned yourself.
Filed Under: nuclear war, patents
Companies: alcatel-lucent, microsoft
Comments on “Fallout From Alcatel-Lucent's Patent Nuclear War With Microsoft Continues”
Wasting valuable assets on BS
What a waste.
The stockholders should hold the board responsible.
GREAT!!!
A pox on both their houses!!!
Quick flowchart
Uh oh.
Did the lawyers get involved?
| |
| |
| NO———————+
| |
| |
+>YES |
+ Post Resume online +->Can you Negotiate?
| +-> YES ->Apply for promotion
| | and Negotiate.
| +-> NO -> Post resume on Monster.
| +> Find a way to negotiate.
|
+-> IS THE BUSINESS INVOLVED?
+-> NO -> WINNER. Apply for Director Position and negotiate.
| +-> NO -> Apply for raise and negotiate.
+-> YES -> Tell Business to Go Pound Sand while you negotiate.
It's more like Dog-eat-Dog than Nuclear Stockpilin
Dog owner 1 sics dog on dog owner 2s dog.
Dog 1 beats dog 2.
Dog owner 2 gets bigger dog.
Dog 2 beats dog 1.
Alternate ad nauseum, adding and subtracting Dog Owners as required.
I say we stop using the term nuclear stockpiling and start using another term. (How about “Patent Breeding? The only reason a lot of companies put in patents these days is to make money anyway….)
“Nuclear Stockpiling” just doesn’t seem appropriate to me.
simply capitalism at work
yeah, just a dog-eats-dog world by corporate design
Gotta love it dude or get the fuck out
The lawyers get paid no matter who wins
Most lawmakers are lawyers, these litigation wars only benefit the lawyers. Ever wonder why we have such stupid patent and copyright laws.
So much for innovation, eh?
Who you gonna call
I think the original rational for filing patents for everything wasn’t really to protect themselves from other legitimate enterprises. I believe the real objective is to shield themselves from patent trolls. Unfortunately, legal council convince these companies that failing to pursue patent infringement has greater risk than the chance of losing a case or getting a judgement overturned on appeal.
This situation has a cascading because each side is getting the same legal advice.