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Google and Microsoft end their years-long patent war
And just like that, another one of the tech industry's epic patent battles is coming to a close. Google and Microsoft have dropped all 20 (!) of the lawsuits they've filed against each other, ending their five-year dispute over everything ranging from phones (Microsoft's main gripe) to Xbox video playback (Google's gripe, and formerly Motorola's). The two will now partner both on technology as a whole and on "certain patent matters," such as building a royalty-free video format that prevents these kinds of legal fights in the first place. The truce is no doubt a relief if you're tired of seeing endless stores about the lawsuits (guilty!), although it's not a complete shock if you've been following changes in corporate culture.
Microsoft prevails over an 8-year-old attempt to block its phone sales
Remember the heady days of August 2007, when the iPhone had barely reached store shelves and the Nokia N95 was all the rage? The US International Trade Commission sure does. After reviewing an 8-year-long case, the ITC has ruled that Nokia's phones (now Microsoft's) don't infringe on InterDigital patents covering 3G cellular technology. The decision eliminates the possibility of an import ban that would have prevented Microsoft from selling many of its phones in the US, including modern day Lumias. Things very nearly didn't go the company's way -- a judge had ruled in April that Microsoft was using InterDigital's patents, which would have forced the folks in Redmond to pay up.
Apple wants to put Touch ID on your TV remote
Apple has reportedly applied for a patent that incorporates a biometric scanner into the Apple TV remote control. This fingerprint reader could serve a variety of functions such as adjusting the volume and display based on each household member's personal preferences or automatically logging users into their personal streaming accounts. It could also serve as a means for authorizing iTunes downloads. Plus, if Apple begins pushing Apple TV as a hub for future home automation systems, as has been speculated, the biometric remote could act as a universal controller for those features as well. [Image Credit: Robert S. Donovan/Flickr]
Supreme Court won't touch Google's fight with Oracle over Android
When Oracle got a second chance at making Google pay for using Java programming kits in Android, the folks in Mountain View raced to the Supreme Court in hopes of stopping that renewed lawsuit dead in its tracks. Unfortunately for Google, that's not going to happen -- the Supreme Court now says that it won't tackle the case. The move kicks the issue back to a lower court, and denies a once-and-for-all decision on the extent to which companies can copyright their code. This doesn't necessarily mean that Google will be on the hook for Android, but the company is going to face a tougher fight than it wanted. [Image credit: CSA Images/Getty Images]
Texas judges make it harder to fight patent trolls
Federal courts might have made it harder for patent trolls to sue over vague ideas, but the Eastern District of Texas (the trolls' preferred venue) just put the ball back in their court. Some judges in the region now demand that the targets of these lawsuits get permission before they file motions to dismiss cases based on abstract concepts. If the defendants don't show "good cause" for needing those motions, the lawsuits go ahead -- and historically, that means that the trolls either win their cases or extract settlements from companies unwilling to endure the costs of a prolonged legal battle.
Ford joins Tesla in opening up its electric car patents
One of the biggest issues in the automotive industry is that when car makers come up with an innovative new technology, it can take years for others to catch up. Tesla made a positive change when it opened its patents to further the adoption of electric cars, and now Ford is getting in on the act too. The company announced today that it will make at least 650 patents "dedicated to electrified vehicle technologies" available to other car makers, but unlike Tesla, is asking for an undisclosed fee. Ford already has six hybrid or all-electric models available to buy, but seems intent on increasing that number with a little help from its new facility located near Henry Ford's original labs in Dearborn. It intends to hire another 200 electrified vehicle engineers at Ford Engineering Laboratories this year, allowing it to "solve bigger challenges and help improve the industry." Now all we need is for Toyota and co. to follow suit.
'90s web portal Lycos returns to sell its patents
Long before Google and eons ahead of Bing, Lycos was the Internet's search engine. In fact, the company was one of the first to implement spidered web indexing. And while Lycos hasn't made many headlines lately, the company still maintains an impressive portfolio of technology patents. Its patents are wide-ranging enough that Google already got into trouble over old Lycos tech back in 2012 before winning its case on an appeal last year. On Wednesday, the company announced that it will be offering a selection of that collection for sale as Lycos prepares to roll out a number of physical products in the coming weeks.
Recommended Reading: Wearing Google Glass every day for two years
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. Two Years Through the Looking Glass by Allen Firstenberg I'm pretty sure there's nothing I've done every day for the last two years. Maybe I've taken a vitamin, but I'm sure I missed a day here or there. Allen Firstenberg is way more dedicated to habit than I am, though. He's been wearing Google Glass since he received the headset two years ago and has a load of observations about the past, present and future of the tech.
Video on demand firm sues Apple over streaming patents
Remember OpenTV, the video on demand software developer that sued Netflix for allegedly violating its streaming patents? It's back. The company is suing Apple in the belief that virtually everything Apple makes (such as the Apple TV and iTunes) is infringing on five streaming-related patents, including ones for interactive TV and copy protection. Supposedly, you're borrowing OpenTV technology when you download or rent a movie through Apple's software. The folks at 1 Infinite Loop haven't issued a formal response to the suit, although there's definitely pressure to offer compensation. OpenTV's parent company, the Kudelski Group, brags that it already has licensing deals (Netflix settled earlier this year) with the likes of Disney and Google -- Apple didn't necessarily use OpenTV's ideas, but it'll go against the grain if it fights back.
Google wants first refusal on the patents you want to sell
When a business is finished with a patent or just needs some cash, it often winds up selling its intellectual property to a patent troll. With it, these "non-practicing entities" can then fire courtroom broadsides at outfits like Microsoft and Google in the hope of raising a quick buck. It's become so much of a problem that Google is hoping to tackle it simply by buying those patents before the trolls can get their hands on 'em.
Podcasts are safer after the EFF helps gut a patent troll
Personal Audio has been threatening the podcast world for a while -- the longtime patent troll claims that it invented the concept of podcasting, and has insisted that some bigger productions (such as Adam Carolla's) either cough up licensing money or face lawsuits. You may not have to worry about your favorite series going off the air in the future, though. US patent officials have nixed some of the core claims of Personal Audio's "podcasting patent" after the Electronic Frontier Foundation pointed out podcast-like shows that were running before the patent even existed. Some aspects of episodic online audio are just too obvious to be patentable, according to the finding.
Apple reportedly can't ship its watch in Switzerland due to a trademark
Here's a textbook case of irony: the Apple Watch may not have a quick launch in Switzerland... you know, the spiritual home of watches. Swiss broadcaster RTS reports that Leonard Timepieces has a trademark in the country that supposedly prevents companies from using the word "apple" in association with watches and other jewelry. The 30-year-old legal filing expires on December 5th, but that's not much consolation to Apple if it hopes to challenge the traditionalists in Geneva this year.
Motorola found guilty of infringing on a patent from infamous troll
There was good news and bad news for Motorola in its second round in court with the patent holding firm Intellectual Ventures. A Delaware jury cleared Motorola of infringing on one of IV's wireless patents, but it also said that the cellphone maker infringed on another patent focused on multimedia messaging, Reuters reports. It's not yet known what Motorola will have to pay up -- though it's worth noting Intellectual Ventures recently scored a $17 million win against Symantec. Intellectual Ventures, as you've probably heard, has built quite the reputation as an infamous patent troll. While it licenses its portfolio out to companies like HTC and Samsung, it's more well known for suing tech companies who might be infringing on its intellectual property. A 2011 suit between Motorola and IV ended in a mistrial last year, and the two are also scheduled to start a new trial today around a removable computing device patent.
Former Google lawyer Michelle Lee will run the US patent office
It's official: after four months of waiting, former Google legal counsel Michelle Lee has been confirmed as the head of the US Patent and Trademark Office. She was already serving as the acting director (the position has technically been vacant since 2013), but this gives her a more secure footing. The nod is potentially a big help to the agency. While there have been steps to curb patent trolling, a more permanent USPTO position could help Lee improve the quality of US patents and discourage frivolous lawsuits. She was already a vociferous advocate for patent reform in her Google days, and she now has a solid platform for making those reforms a reality. [Image credit: Tony Avelar/AP Images for SanDisk Corporation]
Microsoft sues Kyocera over Android phone patents
Microsoft may be taking some steps to make nice with the Android world, but the company is still willing to pick fights when its royalty payments are at stake. The Windows maker has sued Kyocera in the US over claims that Android phones like the Brigadier and Hydro series violate seven patents on features like location tracking and messaging. While Microsoft says it's hoping things can be "resolved amicably," it's prepared to go nuclear if necessary -- it wants a ban on those phones if Kyocera doesn't cooperate. We've reached out to Kyocera to see how it's responding to the lawsuit. If history is any indication, though, it may be tempted to settle. Microsoft already has most Android manufacturers coughing up royalties, and Kyocera isn't an industry giant with loads of cash to fight back.
Microsoft and Samsung settle their fight over Android royalties
It looks like Microsoft and Samsung aren't eager to drag out their dispute over Android patent royalties. The two tech giants have reached an agreement that ends Microsoft's lawsuit over interest payments and otherwise smooths things over. The circumstances surrounding the deal are "confidential," so it's unclear who made the most concessions. However, it's more likely that Microsoft came out on top. Unless the Windows developer was willing to walk away empty-handed (which is doubtful given its aggressive licensing strategy), Samsung probably had to cough up more money than it originally planned.
Apple patented a self-repairing material, because of course they did
Just days after LG's G Flex phone showed off its ability to heal from minor scratches and scuffs, a similar patent has surfaced that shows Apple's take on such a feature. The patent, which was filed in 2014 and published this week, describes a method of "reducing appearance of physical damage on cosmetic surfaces," which sounds like a pretty spot-on description of what LG's G Flex phone does. The surface treatment described in the patent would fill in scratches automatically whenever light physical damage occurs, reducing the visibility of scratches and gouges over a short period of time. Such a treatment would of course be perfectly at home on an iOS device, as scratches and scuffs are always a giant pain in the rear end when they show up on your pricey smartphone or tablet, but we'll have to wait and see if Apple intends on actually implementing such a feature in the future.
This isn't the last we've heard of Samsung buying BlackBerry
How does that old song go? Everything old is new again? I'm reminded of it every time Samsung and BlackBerry get wrapped up in some will-they-won't-they acquisition intrigue like they did on Wednesday. In case you somehow missed all the fun, Reuters reported that Samsung offered a cool $7.5 billion to BlackBerry as part of a potential buyout deal. In the hours that followed, BlackBerry balked, Samsung shot the notion down and investor hope -- seen in the form of surging BBRY stock prices -- all but evaporated.
Apple just patented the best smartphone gaming feature, and it'll probably never use it
The worst part about keeping an eye on new tech patents is knowing in your heart that most of these new ideas -- especially some of the most off-the-wall amazing ones -- will probably never see the light of day. Such is the case with a new Apple patent for a hidden built-in joystick that would turn every iOS device into a much more capable piece of gaming hardware. The patent is kind of genius in that it describes a joystick that is hidden in a device's home button. The small analog stick would act as a normal home button while the device is in its standard mode, but once sufficient force is applied it would pop out via a spring and rise above the face of the phone so that it could be used as an input device for gaming. It would then sink back into the phone with another push. The patent was originally filed way back in July of 2013, and was just published today, but as we've seen so many times before, chances are this isn't something Apple is actually planning on building into a retail device any time soon. Which is a shame, because it's downright awesome. [via Patently Apple]
Apple patent holdings in 2014 increased by nearly 13%
When Creative Technology sued Apple over the iPod's UI design in 2006, Steve Jobs was incensed. Ultimately, the lawsuit prompted Apple to start taking patents much more seriously. Nowhere was this more apparent than during the design process of the iPhone. As recounted in a 2012 New York Times article: Privately, Mr. Jobs gathered his senior managers. While Apple had long been adept at filing patents, when it came to the new iPhone, "we're going to patent it all," he declared, according to a former executive who, like other former employees, requested anonymity because of confidentiality agreements. "His attitude was that if someone at Apple can dream it up, then we should apply for a patent, because even if we never build it, it's a defensive tool," said Nancy R. Heinen, Apple's general counsel until 2006. And so, Apple's patent portfolio began to rapidly increase in size. Flash forward to 2015 and Apple is a patent filing machine. Though still not the nation's top patent filing company, Apple in 2014 increased its patent count by over 12 percent. The IFI Claims Patent Service reports: A total of 19 U.S.-based companies appear on the 2014 IFI CLAIMS Top 50, up from 18 in 2013 and 17 in 2011 and 2012. Google enters the Top 10 for the first time at position #8-up a remarkable 38.6 percent-trailing #7 Qualcomm by just 21 patents and only 263 patents shy of #5 Microsoft. Apple, at #11, makes impressive gains as it continues its push toward the Top 10 increasing its patent counts by 12.8 percent, just ahead of #12 General Electric and 92 patents short of #10 Panasonic. All told, IBM in 2014 was granted more patents than any other company on the planet, 7534 to be exact, and significantly ahead of Samsung which occupied the number two spot with 4952 patents. Apple, checking in at #11 on the list, was granted 2003 patents. The full list of patent-crazed companies can be viewed in its entirety over here.
