Obsidian got filed for patent infringement

[Zoraptor]

Presumably that was for trademark infringement rather than patent infringement though, like Tim Langdell used to do for anything using EDGE that was computer related up until EA squashed him like a bug. Patent stuff is pretty stupid though, such as the infamous Apple 'rounded edge rectangle' and the guy who went to Mexico, bought Yellow Beans, then patented them in the US (and made the Mexicans pay him royalties). Similar thing happened to basmati rice as well.

[greylord]

Well, if there's no evidence, he just committed economic suicide. Everyone of the cases will be thrown out without evidence. It won't just be one, it won't just be maybe, it's open and closed before it gets off the ground.

 

Haven't seen anything indicating there is or isn't any evidence, just the filings. Filing with no evidence would be the tantamount of epic stupidity though.

 

He may be counting on fact asking for jury for them. Sway opinion rather than relying on prior evidence, he may also be hoping some evidence comes up during the course of each case maybe making a claim like he has reason to believe x or y has used z but x or y would not let him check to find out so wants them to hand over the code for all their game engines have used in past decade during cases for examination. There is simply no way for him to have proof that over 100+ developers or publishers have done what he claims. There is also no evidence supplied in the filings themselves and no reference to any that I could see.

 

I believe the judge still has the perogative whether to allow or disallow a case to come to trial. If the judge sees there's no evidence and nothing to indicate anything he can throw it out en masse. They can appeal that judge's ruling of course and another higher judge will then look at it...and without anything to back up the filing...that judge will probably also throw it out for lack of evidence.

 

Those aren't really judgements on whether it occurred or not, it's merely to try to get rid of frivolous cases so the courts don't get clogged with cases (and believe it or not, that's only if there's not any evidence...if there's evidence, even if it's a frivolous case...they'll let it through many times with the most ridiculous charges...but without anything backing the case....).

 

Of course, it does depend on the judge...but without any evidence at all I expect most judges worth their while would toss it out for the case having no legal bearing.

[greylord]

Presumably that was for trademark infringement rather than patent infringement though, like Tim Langdell used to do for anything using EDGE that was computer related up until EA squashed him like a bug. Patent stuff is pretty stupid though, such as the infamous Apple 'rounded edge rectangle' and the guy who went to Mexico, bought Yellow Beans, then patented them in the US (and made the Mexicans pay him royalties). Similar thing happened to basmati rice as well.

 

Yes...We probably agree overall. Patent law and what happens with it currently is absolutely crazy!

[Lephys]

I want to patent the patenting process, just to see what happens.

[Azrayel]

Here's hoping the big companies are already on the Warpath and Obsidian's legal person will just have to do some treaty-signing in preparation for the decisive broadside without having to plug the cannons with any of its own money/time\willpower-- the American legal system is far too taxing, we need these people slaving over games not lawsuits.

[alanschu]

Presumably that was for trademark infringement rather than patent infringement though, like Tim Langdell used to do for anything using EDGE that was computer related up until EA squashed him like a bug. Patent stuff is pretty stupid though, such as the infamous Apple 'rounded edge rectangle' and the guy who went to Mexico, bought Yellow Beans, then patented them in the US (and made the Mexicans pay him royalties). Similar thing happened to basmati rice as well.

 

 

My point was more that Monster Cable still exists (it wasn't economic suicide). Although Langdell does seem to be hurting.

Edited December 16, 2012 by alanschu

[Tagaziel]

IANACLL, but wouldn't this be considered a frivolous lawsuit?

 

Furthermore, is the "tech" even patentable? I'm not a computer engineer by any means, but the whole description of the "patent" seems awfully ambiguous and lacks specifics of any kind. As far as I understand it, it's a very high level description of a "process uses external files to lipsync" kind of thing. That feels like attempting to patent the wheel.

Edited December 19, 2012 by Tagaziel

[AGX-17]

Napster is the prime example of two kinds of piracy. MPAA and RIAA did NOT hold patent rights for what they used to ferret out the filesharing...

 

Solution...

 

Though Napster was already dead in the water...get someone to buy Napster...hence preventing the inevitable lawsuit of their own piracy.

 

Copyright piracy was made the big cat...but the bigger one that could actually have bought everyone down on that one was the other piracy. These guys are smart though...it didn't make sense for anyone to actually buy Napster when they did as it was completely dead by that point and all the PtoP players moved to other things at that point (ebear, emule, etc). However, the bigger animal was lose and they did a smart side step.

 

On the disney idea...Your idea of

 

[blurppity blurp]

 

bought a socket wrench recently??

 

[blurp blurp]

 

 

...Cool tangent. Patent troll lawsuits for copyright infringement have what to do with piracy, exactly?

Edited December 19, 2012 by AGX-17