Post #16: ITC rules in favor of Microsoft Xbox against Motorola Patent

On March 22^nd, the ITC judge decided that Microsoft Xbox’s wireless communication technology did not infringe Motorola patent. This determination is “a recommendation to the full commission that has until July to affirm or modify the finding,” which means that Motorola still has the chance to fight back. A lot of cases today involved with popular consumer electronic devices, such as iPhone, Xbox, and more. I wonder how the market for these wireless devices is going to change by the decisions from the judges. It is somehow scary to think how the judges and juries’ decisions can impact the future economy. No wonder the process per case takes a long time, sometimes in years to determine. Also, how previously the court has decided to allow the industry expert to conduct research on the effect of iPhone ban in the smartphones market. It is important to protect the inventors’ idea, but I wonder if the impacts from infringements are building up to a catastrophic damage to the market.   

For more information, please visit: http://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/2013/03/22/itc-finds-microsoft-xbox-doesnt-violate-motorola-patent/

Post #15: Android’s tethering feature already existed back in 1995

Florian Mueller posted on his blog, Foss Patents today about “Android likely infringes Nokia patent on tethering as Google and HTC lose out on claim construction.” Apparently Android’s tethering feature already existed back in 1995, patented by Nokia (Patent No 5,884,190). The patent is about “a method for making a data transmission connection from a computer to a mobile communication network for transmission of analog and/or digital signals”. Android’s tethering feature “enables mobile phones to act as network routers in order to share their internet connections with portable computers.” To me, the Nokia patent and Android’s tethering feature is equivalent from a broad scope. It is interesting what Mueller stated in his blog on most defendants “seek to narrow the scope of a patent through their proposed claim” to deny infringement. However, Google failed in this case. What is really funny is that apparently Nokia did not know back when they filed the patent the value of this patent will become. I wonder if Nokia spent some time going through their old technology, and made improvements from those, or even applying those features in smartphones today, Nokia might climb its way up to the top again.

For more information, visit: http://www.fosspatents.com/2013/03/android-likely-infringes-nokia-patent.html