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It's a defensive patent portfolio. They use it to counter sue if a competitor sues them.
by empath-nirvana 3y ago
It's a defensive patent portfolio. They use it to counter sue if a competitor sues them.
- EvanAnderson 3y agoEdit: Removed a bone-headed hypothetical.
- brlewis 3y agoYou lose a trademark if you don't defend it. I don't believe the same is true of patents.
- EvanAnderson 3y agoMy face is red. Thanks. I didn't stop and think long enough before I posted.
- toast0 3y ago> My understanding is a patent holder must defend their rights, if they are aware of the infringement, at the peril of losing them. Pretty sure that's just for trademarks.
- EvanAnderson 3y agoAgh. Absolutely. Wrong flavor of "intellectual property". Thanks.
- michael1999 3y agoAnd that's why Stallman is so firm that there is no such thing as "intellectual property". As soon as you start using that term, you start believing there is something more general and meaningful to it and start muddying the concepts. But it is just a mirage. https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/not-ipr.en.html https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/not-ipr.en.html
- greyface- 3y agoHave they made any commitments, binding or non-binding, to this effect?
- hot_gril 3y agoThat might reduce the effectiveness of this strategy.
- greyface- 3y agoHow would a commitment to not use their patent portfolio offensively prevent them from effectively using it defensively?
- hot_gril 3y agoFor the commitment to be meaningful at all, it has to be partially binding, which could be exploited. And a totally nonbinding one could just as easily be given by a patent troll.
- remram 3y ago> For the commitment to be meaningful at all, it has to be partially binding A non-binding and less-meaningful commitment would still be something. They could easily start there and they have not.
- hot_gril 3y agoI don't see what they'd gain from that. Also, could calling your own patents "defensive" be seen as admission that they're bogus?
- lathiat 3y agoThere is precedent for this kindof thing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Invention_Network https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Invention_Network