ITC Investigates Xbox 360 After Motorola Complaint

FlorianMueller writes "The US International Trade Commission, which is increasingly popular as a patent enforcement agency, voted to investigate a complaint filed by Motorola against Microsoft last month. Motorola claims that the Xbox infringes five of its patents. In October, Microsoft complained against Motorola, alleging patent infringement by its Android-based smartphones. Apple, Nokia and HTC are also involved with ITC investigations as complainants and respondents. A new one-page overview document shows the ongoing ITC investigations related to smartphones and the products that the complainants would like to have banned from entry into the US market. The good news is that any import bans won't be ordered until long after Christmas. The ITC is faster than courts, but not that fast."

Re:Patents are terrible for the little guy

[BadAnalogyGuy]

When you say "finished product" are you precluding the possibility of inventing a useful component that could be used in many different applications? Let's say you invented a new kind of drain stopper that only makes sense used in tandem with existing drains. Surely, you would want to assign patent rights to the inventor of the new drain stopper even though his invention isn't a complete device but rather a part of a larger device.

Heinlein springs to mind

[symbolset]

There has grown in the minds of certain groups in this country the idea that just because a man or corporation has made a profit out of the public for a number of years, the government and the courts are charged with guaranteeing such a profit in the future, even in the face of changing circumstances and contrary to public interest. This strange doctrine is supported by neither statute or common law. Neither corporations or individuals have the right to come into court and ask that the clock of history be stopped, or turned back.

Robert A Heinlein, Life-Line, 1939.

Re:Patent Chess

[imthesponge]

It's really not possible to "invent" anything anymore as an individual. You'll inevitably violate some company's patent. You need your own war chest of patents to defend yourself.