VirnetX Holding Corporation today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, VirnetX, Inc. has been granted U.S. Patent No. 8,051,181 (“the ‘181 patent”), “Method for Establishing Secure Communication Link Between Computers of Virtual Private Network,” by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and has filed a new complaint against Apple Inc. in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Tyler Division.
MacDailyNews Take: Rocket docket.
The complaint includes allegations of patent infringement regarding its ‘181 patent. In its complaint, VirnetX seeks both damages and injunctive relief.
“We believe in the importance of the patent system to protect VirnetX’s innovations and intellectual property,” said Kendall Larsen, VirnetX CEO and President, in the press release. “This patent reinforces our high quality patent portfolio and strengthens our current legal activities and licensing efforts.”
About VirnetX
VirnetX Holding Corporation is an Internet security software and technology company with patented technology for 4G LTE security. The Company’s software and technology solutions, including its secure domain name registry and GABRIEL Connection Technology, are designed to facilitate secure communications and to create a secure environment for real-time communication applications such as smartphones, instant messaging, VoIP, eReaders and video conferencing. The Company’s patent portfolio includes 21 U.S. and 18 international patents and over 100 pending applications. For more information, visit www.virnetx.com.
Source: VirnetX Holding Corporation
MacDailyNews Take: Trolltastic.™
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dow C.” for the heads up.]
If it’s their IP and they hold the patent, they have the same right to sue as Apple does
Sure, of course they have the same rights, but a NPE, non-practicing entity that sues in an Eastern District of Texas is generally considered by all as a patent troll.
It will take a court to decide if it is REALLY their IP or whether their patented process is “obvious”, or if there exists prior art.
… “VirnetX Holding Corporation is an Internet security software and technology company with patented technology for 4G LTE security. The Company’s software and technology solutions, including its secure domain name registry and GABRIEL Connection Technology, are designed to facilitate secure communications and to create a secure environment for real-time communication applications such as…”, which strongly suggests they have products on the market. Security products. Thus … NOT an NPE.
Yes, people have been doing this for years. The prior art, though, may well be from between the time the patent was filed for and the time it was granted. YEARS. A broken process.
But surely people have been doing this for years? Prior art?
Prior art was my morning radio name in Memphis…
Is anyone else named in this case, or just the number one tech company in the world?
Sure would like to see yer “big government”, that so many don’t like, be able to step in and squash the East District of Texas court like the parasitic slime bug it is. Some regulations are good. Some are not. I can dream.
I believe that the EDoT is yer “big government”.
Perhaps the Executive Branch could offer an opinion, . . . but it wouldn’t hold judicial weight.
Once again, how about flooding the Eastern District of Texas with Apple Stores? Citizens of Lufkin, Tyler, Beaumont, and Nacogdoches will be so thrilled with the beautiful stores and in love with their new Apple products, juries will not see Apple as a big outsider corporation to be milked. The stores may also turn a profit.
“Apple patent lawyer” has to be one of the more secure jobs in the country.
——RM
Clearly, eastern texas is the right location to file this suit as Apple is headquartered in Cupertino, CA and VirnetX is at 5615 Scotts Valley Drive, Suite 110, Scotts Valley, CA. I mean it’s so convenient to both their offices that are only 24 miles apart.