By Peter Lavelle
Monday 1 March 2010 16:50 GMT
Xerox – the brand still most famous for its copiers, in spite of recent acquisition of business outsourcing company ACS – have filed a lawsuit against Google and Yahoo, alleging that the search engine firms have infringed its patents.
Xerox claim that Google and Yahoo applications are powered by 2 Xerox patents in particular. The first – No. 6236994, filed in 2001 – concerns a method of integrating information. According to Xerox, Google violate this through YouTube, Google Maps and Google Video, while Yahoo’s Shopping Service finds them in violation.
The second patent – No. 6778979, filed six years ago – concerns a system for generating queries. Google’s profitable AdWords and AdSense tools apparently violate this patent, while Yahoo’s Y! Q Contextual Search, Search Marketing and Publishers Networks constitute alleged infringements.
Both Yahoo and Google deny the allegations. Speaking to eWeek, Yahoo spokesperson Dana Lengkeek said: "Yahoo does not believe we infringe and plans to fight this case."
The lawsuits have received a negative reaction from business commentators, several of whom question why Xerox is filing lawsuits over applications in which it has no obvious stake. Mike Masnick of TechDirt.com calls the lawsuits: “a blatant attempt to squeeze money out of companies who actually implemented a product where Xerox failed.”
Meanwhile, according to MobileComputingNews.com, Xerox may be seeking licensing agreements from the defendants.
Sources
Dean, ‘Xerox Sues Google And Yahoo,’ Mobile-Computing-News.co.uk, 26 February 2010.
Mike Masnick, ‘No, You Don’t Have To File Patent Lawsuits,’ Techdirt.com 26 February 2010.
Shane McGlaun, ‘Xerox Sues Yahoo, Google For Patent Infringement,’ DailyTech.com, 25 February 2010.
Steve, ‘Xerox Accuses Google, Yahoo Of Patent Infringement,’ HardOCP.com, 25 February 2010.
Steve Ragan, ‘Xerox Hits Google and Yahoo With Patent Suit,’ TheTechHerald.com, 25 February 2010.
Monday 1 March 2010 16:50 GMT
Xerox – the brand still most famous for its copiers, in spite of recent acquisition of business outsourcing company ACS – have filed a lawsuit against Google and Yahoo, alleging that the search engine firms have infringed its patents.
Xerox claim that Google and Yahoo applications are powered by 2 Xerox patents in particular. The first – No. 6236994, filed in 2001 – concerns a method of integrating information. According to Xerox, Google violate this through YouTube, Google Maps and Google Video, while Yahoo’s Shopping Service finds them in violation.
The second patent – No. 6778979, filed six years ago – concerns a system for generating queries. Google’s profitable AdWords and AdSense tools apparently violate this patent, while Yahoo’s Y! Q Contextual Search, Search Marketing and Publishers Networks constitute alleged infringements.
Both Yahoo and Google deny the allegations. Speaking to eWeek, Yahoo spokesperson Dana Lengkeek said: "Yahoo does not believe we infringe and plans to fight this case."
The lawsuits have received a negative reaction from business commentators, several of whom question why Xerox is filing lawsuits over applications in which it has no obvious stake. Mike Masnick of TechDirt.com calls the lawsuits: “a blatant attempt to squeeze money out of companies who actually implemented a product where Xerox failed.”
Meanwhile, according to MobileComputingNews.com, Xerox may be seeking licensing agreements from the defendants.
Sources
Dean, ‘Xerox Sues Google And Yahoo,’ Mobile-Computing-News.co.uk, 26 February 2010.
Mike Masnick, ‘No, You Don’t Have To File Patent Lawsuits,’ Techdirt.com 26 February 2010.
Shane McGlaun, ‘Xerox Sues Yahoo, Google For Patent Infringement,’ DailyTech.com, 25 February 2010.
Steve, ‘Xerox Accuses Google, Yahoo Of Patent Infringement,’ HardOCP.com, 25 February 2010.
Steve Ragan, ‘Xerox Hits Google and Yahoo With Patent Suit,’ TheTechHerald.com, 25 February 2010.
2 comments:
Great timing of course, google having to defend HTC being sued by Apple this week too. But seriously, all this Intellectual Property crap stiffles creativity, and development, a veritable choke-chain on the modern world.
I agree - though I wouldn't take my criticism that far!
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