“Five of the top companies in the online music industry are being sued by an individual who claims that the digital rights management software used by the Internet’s most popular music download services violates a seven-year-old technology patent,” Kasper Jade reports for AppleInsider.
“Earlier this month Ho Keung Tse of Hong Kong filed a lawsuit in United States Federal Court alleging that the digital rights management (DRM) technology used by the online music stores of Apple Computer, Sony Connect, Real Networks, Napster and MusicMatch infringes on his U.S. Patent No. 6,665,797,” Jade reports. “Apple was the first company to be notified of Tse’s patent when the inventor contacted the company approximately 11 months ago, according to Zito. Attorneys for both parties later met in an attempt to reach an out-of-court resolution but were unable to agree on amicable financial terms.”
Full article here.
Related articles:
Patent violation claims surface against Apple over iPod, iTunes technologies – March 07, 2005
Report: Hong-Kong company wants 12 percent of iPod and iTunes profits, Apple already in negotiations – March 07, 2005
Worms comin out of the woodwork trying to cash in. Does he have a concret product to show?
Whatever happened to the guy who claimed to invent the hyperlink ?
This reminds me of the same type of thing….
Inventor of hyperlink and iTunes:
http://www.al-gore-2004.org/
Ummm… why isn’t Microsoft and its DRM on the hitlist? I think I smell a rat brewing in the Redmond kettle!
“We don’t need no Hong Kong Phooey!”
Microsoft isn’t on the list because they patented software that works. And by works, I mean works like a crack whore with leprosy of the vagina.
Dude Mac has a point if this person is suing Real Networks, Napster and MusicMatch then Microsoft also should be included since these company’s uses Microsoft DRM.
I too smell a rat … oh wait I haven’t bath today yet … Umm Nothing to see here move along people. Thank You
Since this is a stupid story on another (so far) slow Mac news day (through no fault of MDN’s), let me just say that I have no qualms about possibly derailing this thread. And with that in mind re: Screaming Pessimist . . .
Hong Kong Phooey rules!
I just love — LOVE — old cartoons that have a non-PC, slightly stereotyped edge to them.
Speaking of which — anyone for Speedy Gonzales, the fastest mouse in all Mexico (and his lazy Mexican cousin Slowpoke Rodriguez)?
what about Pepe le Pew?
If this kind of leech-like, patent-something-and-then-never-develop-it-but-wait-for-someone-else-to-and-then-stick-it-to-them trend continues it is really gonna stifle innovation.
I think there should be a shorter time limit to actually develop and take to market a patented idea. You shouldn’t be able to just sit on it so long and do nothing with it. Maybe something like if another company files to develop an idea that is already patented, the original patent holder then has a limited time period to prove that he is actively working on producing a product or he loses the rights.
Jabber, Jabber, Jabber… Jabber, Jabber, Jabber…Jaw. Loved Jabber Jaw the great white Shark….Wook, Wook, Wook
Speedy Gonzales = Steve Jobs’ Apple
Quick with the ideas, on the side of the good guys, gets the job done
Slowpoke Rodriguez = Bill Gates’ Microsoft
Steals everyone’s ideas, in it for themselves, gets infected all the time
Link to patent in question.
link
The patent is title: “Protection of software again against unauthorized use “
And it looks like it was for Internet Explorer??? Not sure, but it says EI?
Did Apple make FairPlay? Or was that a different company’s product? If so, shouldn’t that other company be the one responsible for infringing on this patent? I still think patents should only be issued for working prototypes. My 2 cents.
Seems to me that Apple surely would have patented their DRM techniques. If so, how could they possibly have gotten a patent if someone else already had it covered? Isn’t that the Patent Office’s job to ensure that they don’t patent some idea twice? If so, isn’t it, therefore, the Patent Office who is at fault and should be sued in this instance?
Just my take on this stupid issue.
MW: game-Who is playing games here?
Screaming Pessimist
–“We don’t need no Hong Kong Phooey!”
We don’t need no f*cking racist either!