Texas Businessman Sueing Google, Yahoo and Microsoft
A Texas company is sueing Google, Yahoo and Microsoft for patent infrigement on his Systems and methods for transacting business over a global communications patent. The patent, awarded in 2005 outlines the process of performance base pricing for “for conducting business transactions over the Internet”. The infrigement refers to “smart pricing” which the 3 companies use in their online advertising algorithms.
Sellers offer the product/service within a specified price range, and buyers accept the offer, in exchange for the opportunity to close the transaction at the lowest price offered by achieving a high score during the collateral activity. The ultimate price is within the agreed upon range, but is determined based upon the buyer’s performance during the collateral activity.
According to Eric Goldman, Santa Clara University law professor and tech law blogger, the suit resembles the sort of “lawsuits that we’re concerned about when we worry about patents being used as a way of shaking down people for cash as opposed to advancing social interests”.
This is obviously one of those, “lets patent this idea” rather than an actual system in place. This concept is bein debated by the congress these days for a bill that would overhaul patent litigation, and both Google and Microsoft have lobbied in its favor.
[via THEREGISTER]
Tags: Google, Patent-IssuesRelated Stories
POSTED IN: General
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