Apple/Microsoft 'Rockstar Consortium' Sues Google, Others Over Nortel Patents

[seveej]

Is it just me. Or is sony on the wrong team

First, I think it relates to the Sony Ericsson -part of history.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Mobile_Communications

Second:I can't think of a better way to hedge your bets:
Your consortium wins: you're covered
The other consortium (supplying your mobile OS) wins: you're covered.

RGDS,

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Yeah, I understand what you're saying (and honestly I agree with it - I think patents give too much protection).

OMG! Apple has become a patent troll...

Seriously, patent legislation is a mess. I took part on a seminar on IP patents some years ago, and this presenter (don't have access to the notes, so can't produce a name) provoked the audience by saying: "Whenever you hear someone protecting IP patents based the intrepid inventor on any rationale not linked to advancing megacorporations' interests, ask for proof, ask for any scientific study which backs up the claim. They won't have any."

The statistics of patent cases seem to support the notion: Investigate the cases in which an individual sued a company, how many times did the purported inventor win?

RGDS,

 

[AgentElliot007]

Thom Yorke's tweet from a couple days ago speaks to how I feel about Google on a fundamental level:

"@thomyorke I am proudly Luddite if to be so is to criticise the power and destruction of Google etc.. J Lanier again> pic.twitter.com/fTLwb0aHef"

https://twitter.com/thomyorke/status/394938316723720192



And as many have said, Google had the chance to play nice with everyone else, but they didn't. I have absolutely no problem with them learning a lesson from it. This lawsuit isn't about the patents. This is about taking a stand against a company that far too often profits off of the work of others while also aiding others to do the same. This is about calling a company out for, well, frankly, for being incessantly full of ****. It's simple as that, I have no doubts. If all they wanted to do was go after Google, they wouldn't have invited them in to begin with.

Google continues to become more and more flagrantly "evil" in their day to day business as more years pass (most notably in terms of poorly defined privacy terms, the use of user's private data, and the blatant abuse of other people's IP), and they failed to make any effort whatsoever to take the high road for the good of everyone in a situation like the Nortel patents presented.

Google deserves this, and I hope the consortium wins. Not for the sake of patent laws, but to send another message that Google's destructive strategies won't be tolerated.

 

[Klae17]

At this rate, in 10 years all the major players will be spending much more on buying, defending and using patents than on actual product R&D and production. To say this is ludicrous is an understatement.

Buying the patent means someone already did the R&D! How cool is that?

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I understand and can argue for purchasing patents for defensive purposes (defending against lawsuits), but to purchase patents just to then attack other companies with them when you yourself have done none of the innovative work is kinda dumb.

Rockstar bought the patents for defense and for royalties. Google did not pay royalties but also willingly infringed on the patents. Google was told they cannot use these technologies because they belong to Rockstar. Google did not care. So now they are being sued.

 

[whooleytoo]

At this rate, in 10 years all the major players will be spending much more on buying, defending and using patents than on actual product R&D and production. To say this is ludicrous is an understatement.

Can't wait to see Apple showing pie-charts showing how much of their money is coming from patents and how little from iOS & OSX devices..

 

[bogg]

Who wrote this?

Talk about way off. Try, ``...from Nortel Networks, a former Network Communications Giant ...

FWIW: Please read up on history before writing such cover.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nortel_Networks

You don't go from an energy company born from Bell Canada to a giant Networking Conglomerate that acquired Bay Area Networks to end up being characterized as ``a communications company....'' like a slow drip faucet with such a valuable IP Portfolio.

Nortel should never have let netgear slip through their hands

 

[macs4nw]

….. the consortium filed suit in the U.S. District Court of Eastern Texas against Google, Samsung, HTC, Huawei, and others for infringement on those patents. Google has been accused of infringing on seven of the patents.

Article Link: Apple/Microsoft 'Rockstar Consortium' Sues Google, Others Over Nortel Patents

Naturally, they filed in Texas, where courts are known to much more likely rule in favor of patent holders.

 

[chabig]

Ironically, GOOG was offered the chance to be part of the "Rockstar Consortium", but declined to do so because it would have prevented them from offensively using the patents against AAPL, MSFT, and BBY.

Best Buy (BBY) makes cell phones?

 

[kdarling]

Rockstar bought the patents for defense and for royalties. Google did not pay royalties but also willingly infringed on the patents. Google was told they cannot use these technologies because they belong to Rockstar. Google did not care. So now they are being sued.

The filing is nothing like your hypothetical scenario. There's no mention of any previous communications with Google about the patents.

Rockstar is seeking damages from Google, and claims that Google's patent infringement is willful.

The filing simply says that Google, having bid at one time for the 6,000 patents, should've known what was in each and every one of them, and whether they might be accused of infringing any.

You don't pay billions for patents if you don't plan to use them. The parties must not have been able to find an agreeable settlement.

Apparently no settlement or royalties were asked for. Rockstar just went straight to court and accused Google of infringing on a handful of the 6,000 patents they bought.

It's pretty much the same situation as when any company buys up some patents and then files against another company in East Texas.

 

[Dookieman]

Can someone explain this whole debacle to me? Like I'm 5? What exactly is happening?

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

Can someone explain this whole debacle to me? Like I'm 5? What exactly is happening?

What debacle?

Company A patented a bunch of technology. Company B and Company C bough Company A for its technology. Company D used the intellectual property of Company A without permission from Company B and Company C so Company B and Company C are suing Company D.

 

[Benjamins]

Would buying Blackberry solve the problem for Google?

Google just need to play by the rules, and respect other people's inventions.

using standard essential patents to threaten other companies is not going to get them anywhere but anti-competitive investigations.

 

[Dookieman]

What debacle?

Company A patented a bunch of technology. Company B and Company C bough Company A for its technology. Company D used the intellectual property of Company A without permission from Company B and Company C so Company B and Company C are suing Company D.

Because stuff like this happens all the time over patents. Why is this more serious then any other patent lawsuit?

 

[tongxinshe]

I understand and can argue for purchasing patents for defensive purposes (defending against lawsuits), but to purchase patents just to then attack other companies with them when you yourself have done none of the innovative work is kinda dumb.

Before you make that conclusion, first find out whether a reasonable licensing attempt was made by both parties.

As the other comment points out, Google was invited to the consortium but refused, because it wanted to get exclusive access to the patents so that it could shut everyone else out of the door. That's like betting on a table, and this time turned out to be Google losing the bet (very very rare in the last 10 years).

 

[TJH133]

Who did not see this coming. We knew Apple/Microsoft were going to go sue happy. There was a reason I did not want Apple getting them. Apple is the worlds largest patent troll at this point.

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Before you make that conclusion, first find out whether a reasonable licensing attempt was made by both parties.

As the other comment points out, Google was invited to the consortium but refused, because it wanted to get exclusive access to the patents so that it could shut everyone else out of the door. That's like betting on a table, and this time turned out to be Google losing the bet (very very rare in the last 10 years).

No google wanted the patents to use as leverage to force Apple to back off on going sue happy. Chances are Google was not going to use it any more than to protect android from being sued by Apple and Microsoft.

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Google just need to play by the rules, and respect other people's inventions.

using standard essential patents to threaten other companies is not going to get them anywhere but anti-competitive investigations.

You mean like nortel LTE patents that Apple/Microsoft are suing with?

Worlds largest patent trolls are going sue happy. Who here is surprised about the patent trolls known as Apple and Microsoft going sue happy.

 

[tongxinshe]

The filing is nothing like your hypothetical scenario. There's no mention of any previous communications with Google about the patents.



The filing simply says that Google, having bid at one time for the 6,000 patents, should've known what was in each and every one of them, and whether they might be accused of infringing any.



Apparently no settlement or royalties were asked for. Rockstar just went straight to court and accused Google of infringing on a handful of the 6,000 patents they bought.

It's pretty much the same situation as when any company buys up some patents and then files against another company in East Texas.

Try to learn the history of the topic before making your conclusive judgement.

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You mean like nortel LTE patents that Apple/Microsoft are suing with?

Try not to sway TOO FAR away from the real facts before making comments. None of the involved patens are related to LTE standards. Please read before happily JUMP FROM ANY IRRELEVANT things to the conclusion that had long been fully SOLDERED into your brain.

 

[paul4339]

The filing is nothing like your hypothetical scenario. There's no mention of any previous communications with Google about the patents.
....

Apparently no settlement or royalties were asked for. Rockstar just went straight to court and accused Google of infringing on a handful of the 6,000 patents they bought.

...

It doesn't mention in the Google complaint, but in Rockstar/Samsung complaint it does mention (item #117) that there was formal notification and meetings with Rockstar employees with Samsung. It does not mention what happened in those meetings, though (that is, if there a request for settlement, or a reasonable request for settlement).


.

 

[tongxinshe]

Google will definitely win. Nowadays Google is hanging extremely tight with NSA, which in reality is the most powerful organization in the United States, and thus the most powerful organization in the world, too. Even if (totally fictitious, could NEVER happen) the whole House and the Senate somehow unitedly interfere into this case and wholly side with the "Rochstar Consortium", Google will still win. PERIOD.

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

Because stuff like this happens all the time over patents. Why is this more serious then any other patent lawsuit?

Its not serious or a debacle.
That is the point.

The greatest trick Google ever pulled was convincing the public that it is a crusader of open technology and the 'evils' of patents.

 

[kdarling]

Try to learn the history of the topic before making your conclusive judgement.

The complaint against Google did not mention any notifications or negotiations. It only stated only that:

"Google was aware of the patents-in-suit at the time of the auction."

In other words, since Google had bid on 6,000 patents, Apple is saying that they should have studied each one.

Do you have any info stating otherwise?

It doesn't mention in the Google complaint, but in Rockstar/Samsung complaint it does mention (item #117) that there was formal notification and meetings with Rockstar employees with Samsung.

Thanks. It makes sense that Samsung would have to be notified of any possible infringement claims, as they did not bid on the patents themselves.

 

[theheadguy]

My how the winds change. Suing over patents is encouraged, as long as Apple is on the prosecution's side.

 

[decksnap]

No google wanted the patents to use as leverage to force Apple to back off on going sue happy. Chances are Google was not going to use it any more than to protect android from being sued by Apple and Microsoft.

But why would they need leverage if they were not already infringing? Google wanted these precisely because they were infringing already in other areas and could use these, as you say, to protect android.

 

[TJH133]

But why would they need leverage if they were not already infringing? Google wanted these precisely because they were infringing already in other areas and could use these, as you say, to protect android.

Shall we point to the list of crapent lawsuits thrown by Apple. MS also been doing pretty much fear base law suits that companies would rather pay up that go down.

This is really the first time that Apple and MS had the balls to sue Google directly and chances are the only reason is because they have Motorolla. Other wise they would continue the proxy war.

 

[Sir Real]

Who wrote this?

Talk about way off. Try, ``...from Nortel Networks, a former Network Communications Giant ...

FWIW: Please read up on history before writing such cover.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nortel_Networks

You don't go from an energy company born from Bell Canada to a giant Networking Conglomerate that acquired Bay Area Networks to end up being characterized as ``a communications company....'' like a slow drip faucet with such a valuable IP Portfolio.

Be careful my friend...The moderators of this site will suspend you for insulting the crack staff of journalists that write for MacRumors. I've seen it happen to other posters. They are busy little beavers.

 

[decksnap]

Shall we point to the list of crapent lawsuits thrown by Apple. MS also been doing pretty much fear base law suits that companies would rather pay up that go down.

This is really the first time that Apple and MS had the balls to sue Google directly and chances are the only reason is because they have Motorolla. Other wise they would continue the proxy war.

If the lawsuit doesn't have merit, Google would win. I don't understand your logic.

 

[TJH133]

If the lawsuit doesn't have merit, Google would win. I don't understand your logic.

but they have to pay millions in legal fees over the course of the law suit. Even in the case again Oracle where Google won out I really doubt they got all the money they spent on defense back from Oracle.