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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: patent

patent stories: 26 news summaries

1 - 20 of 26 Stories | 1 2 Next >>

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 Lizzie Borden's 
 Hometown 
 Museum Wins 
 Rights to Name 

Fall River bed and breakfast keeps accused murderer's brand local

Aug 25, 09 5:32 PM CDT
(Newser) - Lizzie Borden would be so proud. Merchandise bearing her name is now the exclusive property of her hometown Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast in Fall River, Mass., the Boston Globe reports. The B&B prevailed before the US Patent and Trademark Office in securing the rights to the infamous spinster’... More »

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murder • museum • merchandise • Patent and Trademark Office • patent • license

EU Parliament Next Stop for Pro-Piracy Party

Swedish group's membership up 215% after Pirate Bay case

May 22, 09 12:34 PM CDT
(Newser) - Swedish pirates could soon be invading the European parliament, the Times of London reports. The Pirate Party, a political group whose sole aim is encouraging Internet copyright infringement, is poised to win several seats in next month’s elections. “The plan is Sweden, Europe, the world—in that order,... More »

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European Union • file sharing • Sweden • The Pirate Bay • patent • copyright infringement

(Newser) - A group of breast cancer and ovarian cancer patients has filed suit against the Patent Office for allowing a company to patent two human genes, the Courthouse News Service reports. The plaintiffs, who also include medical organizations and the ACLU, allege that Myriad Genetics' patents on the BRCA1 and BRCA2... More »

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breast cancer • ACLU • American Civil Liberties Union • genetic screening • ovarian cancer • lawsuit • BRCA1 • BRCA2 • genes • medical treatment • Patent and Trademark Office • genetic research • patent

Discovery Sues Kindle, Claims Patent Infringement

Firm alleges it owns e-book reader's encryption technology

Mar 17, 09 5:05 PM CDT
(Newser) - Kindle is catching more legal flak. Discovery Communications—best known for the similarly named cable channel—says Amazon infringed on its patent for electronic book technology, Reuters reports. It's seeking unspecified damages. The Kindle also has taken heat from publishers because of its text-to-speech technology, which could cut into sales... More »

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Kindle • patent • patent infringment • Amazon

Google to Fight All Patent Lawsuits

Search firm worries it's seen as easy target for settlements

Feb 18, 09 4:11 PM CST
(Newser) - Google is pursuing a more aggressive litigation strategy in an attempt to curb the number of patent lawsuits filed against it, Bloomberg reports. The company originally tended to settle lawsuits, getting rid of them quickly. But management is worried that doling out settlements has made it look like an easy... More »

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Google • lawsuit • settlement • patent • patent law • patent disputes • litigation

Glaxo to Cut Drug Prices
in Developing World

No. 2 pharma firm will open 'patent pool' to outside scientists

Feb 14, 09 11:25 AM CST
(Newser) - GlaxoSmithKline’s new boss has proposed a radical rethinking of big pharma in developing countries: He plans to cut prices, offer portions of profits to hospitals, and loosen his firm’s grip on patents that keep prices up, the Guardian reports. “I think it's absolutely the kind of thing... More »

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drug companies • GlaxoSmithKline • price • developing countries • pharmaceutical industry • patent

 Russian Slaps ™ On ;-) 

Entrepreneur seeks to nudge businesses into paying $$$ for use of emoticon

Dec 12, 08 6:01 AM CST
(Newser) - A Russian businessman says he has been granted the trademark for the ;-) emoticon and will start charging for its use, the BBC reports. The entrepreneur, president of the Superfone mobile phone advertising company, doesn't plan to go after individual users but intends to ask corporations to pay for a... More »

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Russia • text message • trademark • emoticon • texting • patent

Startup Goes After Nintendo Over Patents

It claims the Wii uses stolen motion-sensing technology

Aug 20, 08 5:50 PM CDT
(Newser) - A Maryland tech firm claims that Nintendo stole some of its technology for the popular Wii console, the Wall Street Journal reports. Hillcrest Laboratories filed a complaint with the US International Trade Commission, alleging that Nintendo infringed on patents for motion-sensing technology. It wants to ban Wii consoles from being... More »

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technology • Japan • Nintendo Wii • video game console • patent • patent infringement • video games • Wii

Tech Giants Join Forces Against 'Patent Trolls'

Fear of lawsuits behind group effort to snap up intellectual property

Jun 30, 08 11:45 AM CDT
(Newser) - Some of tech's biggest players are banding together to corner the market on patents key to their various businesses, the Wall Street Journal reports. Companies like Google and Verizon are afraid of being held hostage by small players with a claim on key bits of intellectual property, and wary of... More »

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Google • intellectual property • Verizon • patent trolls • Ericsson • patent • patent infringment • tech industry • Hewlett-Packard

 Apple Eyes
 Solar-Powered
 Gadgets 

iPods and iPhones could soon harness sun's power with new patent

May 27, 08 12:35 PM CDT
(Newser) - Apple is seeking a different kind of moment in the sun, reports Forbes, as the behemoth has filed a patent that would integrate solar cells with its iPods and iPhones. The technology would boost the amount of area available for cells, paving the way for truly mobile gadgets free totally... More »

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cell phones • iPhone • Apple • iPod • solar energy • solar power • solar cells • patent

 Gibson Sues Over Guitar Hero 

It wants retailers to stop selling game, claims patent infringement

Mar 21, 08 1:00 PM CDT
(Newser) - Gibson Guitar has sued Guitar Hero retailers, saying the Activision video games infringe on a patent it holds for a virtual-reality concert. The federal suit seeks to stop Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart, Amazon, GameStop, and Toys "R" Us from selling the games, reports AP. But Activision is fighting back—earlier... More »

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lawsuit • Toys 'R' Us • Target • Guitar Hero • Activision • Gibson • patent • patent infringement • Wal-Mart • Amazon.com • video games

Stocks Tumble as Bayer Loses Patent for Contraceptive

Generic birth control pill could soon steal market

Mar 5, 08 4:27 AM CST
(Newser) - Bayer shares tumbled to a 12-month low yesterday after a US judge ended the pharmaceutical giant's patent on Yasmin, the company’s top-selling birth control pill. The ruling means rival Barr Pharmaceuticals may introduce a lower-priced generic version of Yasmin in the next few months, Bloomberg reports.  More »

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birth control • generic drugs • birth control pill • patent • Bayer • Barr Pharmaceuticals • Yasmin

EBay Finally Settles Patent Suit

Will buy three patents as part of agreement with MercExchange

Feb 29, 08 12:17 PM CST
(Newser) - After years of legal battling that escalated to the Supreme Court, eBay has settled a patent-infringement lawsuit by e-commerce technology company MercExchange. The companies aren’t revealing the financial terms, but eBay will buy the three patents that led to the suit. The auction giant said the agreement won’t... More »

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eBay • lawsuit • US Supreme Court • patent • patent infringement • MercExchange • e-commerce • patent injunctions

Still Clicking, Lego Turns 50

Addictive bricks survive video game threat to mark a half-century as a timeless hit

Jan 29, 08 8:57 AM CST
(Newser) - When a Dane filed a patent for interlocking toy bricks 50 years ago yesterday, it began a revolution that has produced enough Legos to stretch to the moon 10 times over, writes Time. The toy, named Forbes' "Toy of the Century" in 1999, survived stiff competition from higher-tech playthings... More »

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toys • Lego • patent • Lego Group • Leg godt • Toy of the Century • Godtfred Kirk Christiansen

Corporations Share Green Tech Patents

IBM, Nokia, Sony and Pitney-Bowes join the new Eco-patent Commons

Jan 14, 08 2:31 PM CST
(Newser) - IBM tops the list of companies donating patents to a group that aims to help businesses produce greener products by sharing eco-friendly technology. Big Blue has promised 27 patents to the Eco-patent Commons; Nokia, Sony and mail equipment maker Pitney-Bowes will also donate, reports PC World. Shared patents will be... More »

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recycling • IBM • Nokia • Sony • green technology • patent • Eco patent Commons • Pitney Bowes

Google Fights Patent Theft Charges

Northeastern U and partner claim company stole search method

Jan 12, 08 8:05 PM CST
(Newser) - Google denies allegations that it is infringing on a patent held jointly by Northeastern University and a Massachussetts company for an Internet search method, and is countersuing to invalidate the patent, PC World reports. NU and its partner claim Google is infringing a patent they were granted for a distributed... More »

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Google • intellectual property • search engine • patent • infringement

Tough Call: Book Says Bell Ripped Off Rival

Phone inventor likely copied competitor's patent application

Dec 27, 07 3:34 PM CST
(Newser) - Telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell ripped off the idea from his rival Elisha Gray, a new book claims. In The Telephone Gambit: Chasing Alexander Graham Bell's Secret, journalist Seth Shulman uncovers evidence that Bell took a sneak peek at Gray's patent documents with the help of his lawyers and a... More »

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telephone • Alexander Graham Bell • Elisha Gray • invention • patent • 19th century • Thomas Watson

Apple, AT&T Targets of $360M iPhone Lawsuit

Patent company says it owns 'Visual Voice'

Dec 4, 07 12:43 PM CST
(Newser) - Add one to the number of lawsuits Apple’s iPhone has been hit with. Klausner Technologies yesterday said it filed a $360 million suit against Apple and AT&T for infringing on its patents for “Visual Voicemail,” Reuters reports. The sleek mobile phone’s highly touted function  allows... More »

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iPhone • Apple • AT and T • Klausner Technologies • voicemail • patent

Legal Woes Haunt Qualcomm

Battles with Nokia and Broadcom take toll on stock despite record results

Nov 8, 07 10:49 PM CST
(Newser) - Qualcomm reported record sales and profits for its 2007 fiscal year, but if its executives thought that would please a jittery Wall Street, they were wrong, as shares fell in after hours trading. The Financial Times reports the company is in a long-running and costly multinational legal battle with Nokia,... More »

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Nokia • net revenue • Qualcomm • Broadcom • Steve Altman • patent

Making Money:
Patent Pending

IBM wants to patent an idea about its patents, which is, well, patently contrary

Oct 24, 07 6:43 PM CDT
(Newser) - Big Blue is seeing green in a recent patent filing. IBM, which holds more patents than any company in the world and reaps more than $1 billion in royalties annually, says it wants to make it easier for small companies to license its ideas on a “floating privilege basis.... More »

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technology • IBM • business • patent trolls • patent

1 - 20 of 26 Stories | 1 2 Next >>


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