Re: [Patents] EPO grants Acacia patent on video streaming

["Brandon Shalton" <brandon@fightthepatent.com>]

> Hartmut  wrote:
> It will be interesting to see whether Acacia will try to assert this
> patent in Europe now, which has been registered as a national patent at
> least in DE, CH and FR, according to Acacia.
>


For those wanting some insight as to what is going on in the US in regards
to Acacia... my website is tracking the news at
http://www.FightThePatent.com

Feb 6th is the start of the Markman Hearing for the adult industry
defendants.

I wrote an article about the upcoming Markman Hearing with a link to opinion
papers submitted by each side for the Markman Hearing at:
http://www.fightthepatent.com/v2/PreMarkman.html

Alot of my coverage/articles has been with the Adult Industry because they
have shown unity and have taken and active stance in fighting the patent
claims, despite larger, more well-known names like Hustler who have settled.

There is apparently some stigma attached to the adult industry, where
mainstream (non-adult) companies are not interested in joining their fight.
One would think that patents affect all businesses, despite the business
activity, and that would be the thread for others to join together.

Patent abuse cases will only increase and if companies are going to act like
islands unto themselves, then patent holders will certainly drive up the
cost of doing business as businesses pay the licensing fee, rather than
fight against claims they feel are wrong.

I have some criticisms to the top companies like Real, Apple, and Microsoft
who are not stepping in to help companies with patent infringement issues
that use their products.  While i can somewhat understand companies not
wanting to associate with the Adult Industry, it doesn't explain why a
company like 24/7 University that signed recently with Acacia and touted in
an Acacia Press Release is a level II partner of Real, and Real did not step
into help them in their e-learning (non adult) venture.

I wrote an article called Mainstream's Dirty Little Secret at:
http://www.fightthepatent.com/v2/DirtyLittleSecret.html in regards this
issue, and the observations of seeing Real Networks having a booth at a porn
convention to solicit business.

Hopefully Europe will be able to deal better with these issues.

-brandon
www.FightThePatent.com