Apple Settles Patent Suit With Burst.com

[HardOCP News]

Do you ever look at some of these patent lawsuits and wonder what the hell is going on with these companies? Trust me, I do.

Burst sued Apple in April of last year claiming that the iPod, iTunes, and QuickTime products all used technology patented by Burst without a license. Burst's software enables something they call "Faster-Than-Real-Time" video, which sounds like it would be hard to watch, but it really represents the technology that allows you to download a 30-minute TV show in less than 30 minutes.

 

[Ualdayan]

I think this just about sums it up:

'Burst served notice that it wasn't done with litigation just yet. "Burst plans to continue identifying and evaluating companies who represent licensing opportunities and intends to diligently pursue those likely to yield suitable returns," the company said in a press release announcing the deal.'

Common - the idea of transmitting something faster than it takes to view the content had to be patented? Shouldn't that be considered an "obvious innovation"? And to think that company made $70 MILLION just off Microsoft and Apple for the idea of transmitting something fast. (not detailing HOW to have fast speeds, but simply the idea of HAVING fast speeds in some way)

 

[Black Morty Rackham]

This kind of supports my the US has the dumbest fucking patent system imaginable theory.

 

[UrielDagda]

So will they be suing everybody that makes backbone equipment for the internet next? Or how about the Internet2 thing?

I don't see how people aren't laughing at them at just the thought.

 

[Azhar]

someone's gonna burst.com their bubble.

hahahaha I kill myself sometimes.

 

[schenks]

sounds like file streaming to me...great patent

 

[purple_haze]

holy crap we should just make up patents as we go and see how much money we can make off shit like this.

 

[xX_Jack_Carver_Xx]

I'll point out once again, under Ronald Reagan the patent system was... "reformed" to be more efficient. Fee's were added to pay for the department, meaning the monies for the patent office was tied directly to the number of patents granted and "maintainence fee's" collected.

Amazingly, the number of patents GRANTED skyrocketed.... "If you apply, they will grant it" as a twist on Field of Dreams.

So the concepts of "obvious under the art" and "derivitive work" and "total bullshit" were all set aside, replaced by "grant it and let the courts sort it out".

So the patent system that served us well for 200 years was "reformed" and now we can all enjoy a more efficient and streamlined process. Best of luck to the next Jobs/Woz comes along, cause unless they have $millions for litigation, they'll be crushed in thier "garage" and buried in the rubble.

Of course the long term damage is far greater than all these frivolous bullshit lawsuits. The innovation and literally the "progress of mankind" is being hampered and the US is shooting itself in the foot all for the betterment of giant corporations.... who rarely if ever actually INVENT anything.

 

[uberbucket]

Doesn't everyone with broadband internet already have the ability to download a 30-minute TV show in less than 30 minutes? I'm confused.

 

[larryBird44]

The problem is that, according to burst.com, in 2002 Microsoft stole their patented tech and integrated it into their software. Not sure at what juncture apple played a role. I don't think the accusations were without merit, as burst.com went to court over the matter and won twice.

I don't think it is bs. If you come up with a technology and show it so someone, the deals fall through for unknown reasons, then they use your tech? You wouldn't go to court? please. maybe i missed something.

 

[Black Morty Rackham]

The innovation and literally the "progress of mankind" is being hampered

This is the key issue. The US patent system is actually hampering the technological progression of humanity. It sounds overly dramatical, but that's exactly what it's doing. And for what? It's not even the big companies. The whole pantent thing is probably costing Microsoft and IBM and whoever a lot more every year than it makes them. The people who profit from the current system are vultures, like Burst.com.

I don't think the accusations were without merit, as burst.com went to court over the matter and won twice.

It's gotten to the point where winning a patent case in the US court system means absolutely nothing to anybody who actually believes in free trade. Maybe you could look up the patent and see what it actually is? Based on the guide on their website, it's just a system for A) caching streaming data on the local system so you won't suffer from frame drops because of network performance variations and B) having a system of multiple servers that share the burden of uploading. It hardly seems like something you should be able to patent. Now, if Apple and Microsoft actually used Burst.com technology, they should take them to the cleaners. However, it seems to me that all they have is a very ill-defined idea, and one so obvious that the courts should just laugh at them.