[Patents] Intershop attacked

[phm@a2e.de phm@a2e.de]

The best known German e-commerce company, Intershop, is being sued in the
US from software patents owned by Open Markets, a US company that
specialises on hoarding patents.  This has sent Intershop stock options
plummeting.  The same patents have also been granted by the EPO, but
nobody seems to be litigating here yet.

> http://www.openmarket.com/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/AppLogic+FTContentServer?pagenam=
e=3DFutureTense/Apps/Xcelerate/View&c=3DArticle&cid=3DOMI5D747SHC&live=3Dtr=
ue
=20
> "In its complaint, Open Market alleges that Intershop=B9s software produc=
ts
> infringe upon Open Market=B9s intellectual property, specifically three O=
pen
> Market patents: U.S. Patent No. 5,708,780 entitled =B3Internet Server Acc=
ess
> Control and Monitoring System=B2; and U.S. Patents Nos. 5,715,314 and
> 5,909,492, both entitled =B3Network Sales System.=B2"

The main claim of the EPO patent reads:
http://l2.espacenet.com/dips/viewer?PN=3DUS5708780&CY=3Dep&LG=3Den&DB=3DEPD

Abstract: "In particular, the process described in the invention=20
includes client-server sessions over the Internet involving
hypertext files. In the hypertext environment, a client views=20
a document transmitted by a content server with a standard=20
program known as the browser. Each hypertext document or page
contains links to other hypertext pages which the user may select
to traverse. When the user selects a link that is directed to an
access-controlled file, the server subjects the request to a=20
secondary server which determines whether the client has an=20
authorization or valid account. Upon such verification, the user
is provided with a session identification which allows the user
 to access to the requested file as well as any other files within
the present protection domain."

Others like

http://l2.espacenet.com/dips/viewer?PN=3DUS5715314&CY=3Dep&LG=3Den&DB=3DEPD
http://l2.espacenet.com/dips/viewer?PN=3DUS5909492&CY=3Dep&LG=3Den&DB=3DEPD

claim the concept of networked computers exchanging digitally signed data.

-phm