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Late last month, the Rockstar Consortium -- a group of companies, including Apple, Ericsson, Microsoft, BlackBerry, and Sony, that purchased a collection of 6,000 patents and patent applications from the bankrupt Nortel in 2011 -- sued Google, Samsung, HTC, Huawei and others for infringement of some of those patents.

In an interview with Intellectual Asset Management (via TUAW), Rockstar CEO John Veschi, who was Nortel's chief intellectual property officer before the company went bust, said "It was entirely my call based on the facts in front of me." Shareholders, including Apple, "got an email telling them what had happened after the suits were issued."

Nortel.png
What is important to remember about Rockstar is that it is essentially the continuation of what was previously the Nortel licensing operation - or the one that Veschi would have established if he had been able to see through his plans for the Canadian telecoms company before it entered bankruptcy. Veschi joined Nortel as its chief IP officer in 2008 and by 2009 had already established programmes for both its internet patent portfolio and the one relating to handsets. As a result, he and his team have actually been negotiating with parties for four or five years, not just the two since Rockstar came into being. "The real question is why it took us so long to initiate actions. We didn't and we didn't, but there comes a time when you have to. There is nothing magic about it," Veschi says.
There was some pushback against Apple, after the initial lawsuit filing, from customers and pundits who believed Apple was behind the filing of the lawsuit. This interview would seem to be a response from the Rockstar Consortium, which apparently operates independently of its shareholders, that the decision was entirely up to the holding company's executive team.

Rockstar is likely seeking significant damages from Google and the other defendants, claiming that their patent infringement is ongoing and willful.

Article Link: Apple and Other Rockstar Consortium Shareholders Not Involved in Google Lawsuit Decision
 

MacCruiskeen

macrumors 6502
Nov 9, 2011
321
5
It probably is true that Apple did not directly order the lawsuit. Did they really have to? They (with others) provided the funding to create a giant patent troll, what did they think was going to happen? "Hey, we only threw the switch; is it our fault the monster tossed the kid down the well?"
 

FirstNTenderbit

macrumors 6502
Jan 15, 2013
355
0
Atlanta
Just a joke

As I was reading the OP, I couldn't help envisioning this scenario: RC offices.

/red phone rings
/takes key from chain around neck
/approaches wall for eye scan and Touch ID
/pulls statue head and inserts key
/opens wall to answer phone


JV: Uh, hello?
TC: What the hell took you so long to pick up the phone?
JV: Sorry sir.
TC: I'm going to need you to do something. {explains what he wants}
JV: But Tim, I mean sir, that's not exactly the way things happened.
TC: John...
JV: Sir?
TC: John, are you listening to me?
JV: Yes sir
TC: Do not F this up John. And remember... double down.
JV: But sir, the thin...{dial tone}

/phone rings again

JV: *clears throat* Hello?
Caller: Do you have Prince Albert in a can?
JV: Whaaaa?

/hears giggling

JV: Mr. Balmer, is that you?

*click*
 

bushido

Suspended
Mar 26, 2008
8,070
2,755
Germany
Why not? A healthy patent portfolio is a great investment, I don't see what the big deal is

because they arent the ones who came up with the idea and obvs just use it to troll other companies with their "portfolio" of patents
 

ronntaylor

macrumors 6502
Jan 16, 2004
341
3,388
Flushing, New York
As a result, [Veschi] and his team have actually been negotiating with parties for four or five years, not just the two since Rockstar came into being. "The real question is why it took us so long to initiate actions. We didn't and we didn't, but there comes a time when you have to. There is nothing magic about it," Veschi says.

Apple probably was being hounded for royalty payments before forming Rockstar with the others. Anyone that thinks Google would not have initiated litigation had they won the bidding must be kidding themselves.

My only hope is that Rockstar will be reasonable with its demands. Apple has an obligation to consistent with his demands, even though it's just a partner within the consortium.
 

Tiger8

macrumors 68020
May 23, 2011
2,479
649
because they arent the ones who came up with the idea and obvs just use it to troll other companies with their "portfolio" of patents

If something has a patent on it, and you use it, you have to pay royality, period. In this case you just need to change the name of the company you are paying for. This is not trolling, and Apple and Microsoft are far from patent trolls.

Selling IP is nothing new, a lot of inventors invent something and they decide, years after using it, that they are done. They sell their invention and patents and retire to an Island. Equally, a lot of people still enjoy royalities from patents created by their parents.

This is not much different than those who bought multiple brownstones in Manhattan back in the 70s and now charge millions of dollars in rent every year. I mean afterall they neither built it nor even lived in it, how dare they?
 

gnasher729

Suspended
Nov 25, 2005
17,980
5,565
because they arent the ones who came up with the idea and obvs just use it to troll other companies with their "portfolio" of patents

Google bid about $4bn for these patents. What do you think they would have done if they had won the auction?
 

Constable Odo

macrumors 6502
Mar 28, 2008
483
268
Google is now an untouchable company since it became the tech darling company of Wall Street. I doubt a breach of a few patents are going to devalue the company to any degree. Once you get the big investors on your side, they will usually back a company no matter what so they don't get affected by any losses. Google has done its dirt and can now motor on to even greater heights. Google has already lobbied all the right people and it pays to have valuable backers looking after you and forces the court system to turn a blind eye to any past misdeeds. :(
 

Technarchy

macrumors 604
May 21, 2012
6,753
4,927
Google bid about $4bn for these patents. What do you think they would have done if they had won the auction?

That's exactly what Google had in mind when they gobbled up Motorola for $12.5 billion. They so wanted to bludgeon Apple to death with a massive portfolio of standards patents, but was smacked down by a couple of different governing bodies.

If they had those Nortel patents, bet your ass they would have gone after MSFT and Apple in a big way.
 

victorhooi

macrumors member
Mar 29, 2011
36
3
That's exactly what Google had in mind when they gobbled up Motorola for $12.5 billion. They so wanted to bludgeon Apple to death with a massive portfolio of standards patents, but was smacked down by a couple of different governing bodies.

If they had those Nortel patents, bet your ass they would have gone after MSFT and Apple in a big way.

Lol, that's not even remotely true, and five minutes of Googling could have told you that...

I can't tell if you're deliberately trolling, or whether you yourself are actually ignorant.

Historically, Google has never used it's patents to proactively sue people.

All of the patent lawsuits that Motorola has engaged in were started long before the sale was finalised.

Apparently, from their public statements, the point of the Motorola purchase was to help them fend off other patent suits, and reach cross-licensing deals. Whether it's worked or not, or whether it's a good buy remains to be seen. However, Google and Apple are definitely not in the same field when it comes to litigious behaviour.

Cheers,
Victor
 

Technarchy

macrumors 604
May 21, 2012
6,753
4,927
Lol, that's not even remotely true, and five minutes of Googling could have told you that...

I can't tell if you're deliberately trolling, or whether you yourself are actually ignorant.

Historically, Google has never used it's patents to proactively sue people.

All of the patent lawsuits that Motorola has engaged in were started long before the sale was finalized.

Is that right...

Google Press release AUGUST 15, 2011 Google to Acquire Motorola Mobility: http://investor.google.com/releases/2011/0815.html


And what happened in 2012 and 2013...

Google charged $14.5M for abusing Motorola FRAND patents in Microsoft case
http://9to5google.com/2013/09/05/go...ing-motorola-frand-patents-in-microsoft-case/

EU Presses Motorola Mobility Over Patent Licensing
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323687604578466730481539330

FTC investigating Google, Motorola over FRAND patent abuse
http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/06/29/ftc_investigating_google_motorola_over_frand_patent_abuse

FTC staff recommends suing Google via antitrust law over FRAND patent abuse
http://appleinsider.com/articles/12...gle-via-antitrust-law-over-frand-patent-abuse

Jury quickly reaches verdict in favor of Microsoft against Google's Motorola on FRAND breach
http://www.fosspatents.com/2013/09/jury-quickly-reaches-verdict-in-favor.html

Preliminary EU ruling finds Google's Motorola guilty of abuse of standard-essential patents
http://www.fosspatents.com/2013/05/preliminary-eu-ruling-finds-googles.html

And Now Google Sues Apple
http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/08/21/and-now-google-sues-apple/

Google decides to litigate instead of innovate, sues Apple over Siri and more
http://www.imore.com/google-decides-litigate-instead-innovate-sues-apple-over-siri-and-more

HTC Can’t Sue Apple With Google’s Loaner Patents, Says ITC
http://allthingsd.com/20120612/htc-cant-sue-apple-with-googles-loaner-patents-says-itc/

Google (As Motorola) Sues Apple Over Patents, Seeks US Import Ban On iPhones, Macs
http://marketingland.com/google-as-...nts-seeks-us-import-ban-on-iphones-macs-19218
 

bpcookson

macrumors 6502
Apr 6, 2012
484
90
MA
pathetic how u can even "bid" for patents

A patent represents ownership of intellectual property. So long as we keep going with this whole "Capitalism" thing, property will continue to be bought and sold.

----------

because they arent the ones who came up with the idea and obvs just use it to troll other companies with their "portfolio" of patents

By your logic, when a writer produces a novel and sells it to a publisher for royalties, the publisher shouldn't be able to troll consumers with their "portfolio" of novels. I guess books should be free for everyone and we can just let the writers fend for themselves.

Let's look at it this way:
because publishers aren't the ones who came up with the novels and obvs just use it to troll consumers with their "portfolio" of novels
 

bushido

Suspended
Mar 26, 2008
8,070
2,755
Germany
Google bid about $4bn for these patents. What do you think they would have done if they had won the auction?

so? dont care what company does it. its stupid either way

A patent represents ownership of intellectual property. So long as we keep going with this whole "Capitalism" thing, property will continue to be bought and sold.

----------



By your logic, when a writer produces a novel and sells it to a publisher for royalties, the publisher shouldn't be able to troll consumers with their "portfolio" of novels. I guess books should be free for everyone and we can just let the writers fend for themselves.

Let's look at it this way:

difference being that they actually do something with it, so unless you actually use those patents lets say within a one year window. you shouldnt be allowed to keep them / have them
 

tongxinshe

macrumors 65816
Feb 24, 2008
1,064
651
It probably is true that Apple did not directly order the lawsuit. Did they really have to? They (with others) provided the funding to create a giant patent troll, what did they think was going to happen? "Hey, we only threw the switch; is it our fault the monster tossed the kid down the well?"

Nortel created the idea, that's when this "monster" was forming.

Apple and Microsoft did try to keep this "monster" from growing big, by putting aside the hatred and creating a one bidding entity, and by inviting the other possible big player -- Google into the entity.

Unfortunately, Google wanted to have exclusive ownership so that they can shut out everyone else. Because of that, Apple and Microsoft's efforts were put to no avail.

In another words, it's Nortel and Google's joint effort that brought this "monster" into reality. And, sarcastically, Google, one of the co-producer, became the first target of this "monster".
 
Last edited:

PracticalMac

macrumors 68030
Jan 22, 2009
2,857
5,242
Houston, TX
It probably is true that Apple did not directly order the lawsuit. Did they really have to? They (with others) provided the funding to create a giant patent troll, what did they think was going to happen? "Hey, we only threw the switch; is it our fault the monster tossed the kid down the well?"

If not Apple, MS, and Co, it would be someone else, like Samsung.
 

kdarling

macrumors P6
Apple and Microsoft did try to keep this "monster" from growing big, by putting aside the hatred and creating a one bidding entity, and by inviting the other possible big player -- Google into the entity.

Google was never invited to be part of Rockstar.

They were invited to join in bidding on NOVELL patents. Not NORTEL patents.

Some blogger mixed up the names, and the internet has been repeating this myth ever since.
 
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