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Apple Loses A7/A8 Patent Lawsuit, Could Owe University of Wisconsin Up to $862 Million
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I still think patents should only apply to hard devices that you must actually try to productize. Just patenting an idea for something and then milking it for big bucks when other people use it should be something else. A patent is for a thing, which is what it was when patent protection was written into the Constitution. I find a University patenting an idea and then making people license that idea not much different than a patent troll. I wonder too how much of that research was paid for by a government grant which should belong to the people.
So no matter how much time and effort and money someone puts into something unless they make the product they shouldn't have any claim to it? This isn't a case of someone simply buying a patent then waiting to enforce it for monetary gain..this is someone investing time and energy and money into a technology that was obviously needed.
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I fail to see how this would be considered patent trolling...didn't they do the r and d and invest in the tech which eventually became useful?
The supreme governor has dictated that universities aren't to be publicly funded, and should be run like businesses. So, expect more of this.
...public funds should however be used to support religious schools, because they create useful people and secular colleges are mighty wicked sinful places. The governor aint never heard of no scientific research or biotech, and won't stand for the lords work being poked and prodded and otherwise messed with in his state no siree. Also, teachers should work for free because they've had it way too easy for way too long. Living high on the hog. Like a... teacher.
...why after graduating I and so many others packed up and left the state.
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The university system is a business. Higher education is not "for the greater good" nor for the "public benefit"; it's designed to milk as much money from customers (students) as it can. They get paid, they give you a piece of paper that says you did something, then you pay the loan off for the next decade. No different from buying a house or a car.
The University of Wisconsin is a patent troll; it would never have developed anything. **** 'em.
The University of Wisconsin is a patent troll; it would never have developed anything. **** 'em.
How much money does Apple have again? Clearly Apple will screw their customers to get that $862 million back.
I hope the University will use the money for the good of the students, especially for the researchers themselves, and maybe generous STEM scholarships and whatnot....
They are already doing that, at least in their domestic market. Problem comes when they want to export such products.
Absolutely. I've tangentially heard about patent rights at universities and they're extremely all-encompassing in favor of the university. Basically anything that a professor produces while at the university is the university's property.
Although it does seem a little odd to hear a legitimate institution sue Apple for once rather than a patent troll.
I don't know what it is about Apple but whenever I see them lose a lawsuit I feel happy, only problem is they'll probably jack up the price of their cables or their magic mouses.
Right, and apparently you can judge whether this is a "patent troll." Why not, for a change, be open to the possibility that Apple tried to get away with not paying what they should have owed in the first place? Is it obvious that UW is wrong and Apple is right?
Exactly. And the same commenters probably would cheer when Apple sues Samsung. Somewhat ridiculous.
That's not as bad as a European company (VW) that's going to owe America at least 18 billion in fines for lying to its loyal customers about technology that they were apparently too stupid to actually make work. At least Apple's technology is functional and works as advertised.
I don't disagree. But there is no evidence that the UW position can be classified as "not doing anything." They actually invented this - Apple was the one "not doing anything" except merely copying someone else's idea.
I don't understand the reasoning that the university is a "patent troll who makes nothing" - this seems to come up in multiple responses. (To be sure: I am not affiliated with UW in any way.) For heaven's sake, they invented the algorithm that made it possible for Apple to design their processors accordingly - how can you call that "doing nothing" or being "a patent troll"? It's fine with me to feel the desire to defend Apple, but maybe some rational thought would be useful too?
You might want to look up the list of ten largest endowments... $862M is not even close.
If apple patents something that it never makes and another company then makes the product using the technology that apple invested time and money in, wouldn't it be fair to say that apple would have every right to expect compensation for their patent that was infringed on even though then never had anything more then the patent? The word patent troll is thrown around so much that is now a reference to any company that wishes to protect what it has developed.
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Good One, But i am not sure if that is the case, Why dont they go after Intel ? Wait they in 2008 did http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1557536/intel-settles-university-wisconsin
Most probably not, but it may be the only company that didn't pay license fees.
Yet more proof apple steals technology from other companies and people and use it for they own benefit
At the same time, UW was not acknowledged by Apple for their work. While research is about the propagation of information, it is also very concerned with giving credit where it's due.
It doesn't take an accountant to spot a 1000% error. And it doesn't take that much humility to own up to a 1000% mistake.