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What I don't get, and I hope somebody can enlighten me here is this: Isn't Mojang a swedish company, registered in Sweden? How can the US patent law apply to Sw

What I don't get, and I hope somebody can enlighten me here is this: Isn't Mojang a swedish company, registered in Sweden? How can the US patent law apply to Sweden since Sweden has a different patent law? For example, I have my company in Germany, where it's (almost) impossible to get a patent for software patents. So if a greedy patent troll in Texas decides that one of my apps infringes their patents, can they even sue since my company is obviously in Germany? Or can they only stop me from selling in the US? (which would be a huge drawback, of course). How is such a situation handled?

estel 14y ago
If you're selling to the US (as Mojang is), then you can be bought to trial there.
- terhechte 14y ago
  What would be the worst that could happen then if I'd just ignore it and decide to never visit the US again nor sell anything to the US again?
  - bjornsing 14y ago
    That's a very good question - and as all good questions it's difficult to answer: it depends. :) There was recently a case where Håkan Lans argued he should not have to pay Acer after having lost a patent suit in Washington, because he is a Swedish citizen and the american verdict was according to him unjust. He first lost, but appealed and won in the appellate court (Hovrätten) [1]. The court argued that since there was no contract between the parties governing jurisdiction the foreign court decision could not be used in a Swedish court as proof of debt. Therefore Acer would have to sue Håkan Lans in Sweden, and have a Swedish court rule on the merits of the case, if they wanted the aid of Swedish authorities in collecting damages. [1] http://www.nyteknik.se/nyheter/it_telekom/datorer/article2503032.ece http://www.nyteknik.se/nyheter/it_telekom/datorer/article250...
    - terhechte 14y ago
      Thanks for the info. Will do some research then and just hope that I'll never be targeted by a patent troll.
  - wtracy 14y ago
    He could get locked out of using any U.S.-based payment processors on his website.
pbhjpbhj 14y ago
Foreign companies/persons can get Swedish patent protection, eg by application to WIPO using their original patent in the US as a priority document.

estel 14y ago

If you're selling to the US (as Mojang is), then you can be bought to trial there.

terhechte 14y ago
What would be the worst that could happen then if I'd just ignore it and decide to never visit the US again nor sell anything to the US again?
- bjornsing 14y ago
  That's a very good question - and as all good questions it's difficult to answer: it depends. :) There was recently a case where Håkan Lans argued he should not have to pay Acer after having lost a patent suit in Washington, because he is a Swedish citizen and the american verdict was according to him unjust. He first lost, but appealed and won in the appellate court (Hovrätten) [1]. The court argued that since there was no contract between the parties governing jurisdiction the foreign court decision could not be used in a Swedish court as proof of debt. Therefore Acer would have to sue Håkan Lans in Sweden, and have a Swedish court rule on the merits of the case, if they wanted the aid of Swedish authorities in collecting damages. [1] http://www.nyteknik.se/nyheter/it_telekom/datorer/article2503032.ece http://www.nyteknik.se/nyheter/it_telekom/datorer/article250...
  - terhechte 14y ago
    Thanks for the info. Will do some research then and just hope that I'll never be targeted by a patent troll.
- wtracy 14y ago
  He could get locked out of using any U.S.-based payment processors on his website.

pbhjpbhj 14y ago

Foreign companies/persons can get Swedish patent protection, eg by application to WIPO using their original patent in the US as a priority document.