Difference between revisions of "A bubble waiting to burst"
(→External links: * [http://www.oceantomo.com/auctions.html Live IP Auction Catalogue] - a 2009 auction of software patents from a company which is involved in neither software nor patents) |
((See: Andy Grove on software patents)) |
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| − | The problem of '''speculation''' is that by granting software patents which are mostly not being used as a property right (not going to court) but which are being as proof for financial deals, we're moving to a situation where one day there will be companies failing and ''then'' they'll start looking for what money their patents can get them. This could aggravate the [[patent troll]] problem if failing software companies look to outsource the monetising of their patents to "experts". | + | {{navbox}}The problem of '''speculation''' is that by granting [[software patents]] which are mostly not being used as a property right (not going to court) but which are being as proof for financial deals, we're moving to a situation where one day there will be companies failing and ''then'' they'll start looking for what money their patents can get them. This could aggravate the [[patent troll]] problem if failing software companies look to outsource the monetising of their patents to "experts". |
''(Can someone check if I've understood this: In the [[USA]], a Federal Circuit court confirmed that when a patent is used to secure a loan, and the loan goes unpaid, the transfer of a patent by foreclosure does indeed allow the new owner to enforce the patent.<ref>http://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/opinions/08-1606.pdf</ref>)'' | ''(Can someone check if I've understood this: In the [[USA]], a Federal Circuit court confirmed that when a patent is used to secure a loan, and the loan goes unpaid, the transfer of a patent by foreclosure does indeed allow the new owner to enforce the patent.<ref>http://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/opinions/08-1606.pdf</ref>)'' | ||
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==Andy Grove== | ==Andy Grove== | ||
| − | * 2009-05-02: [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aw5EZ9BzrgtU Grove Says Patent System May Have Same Flaws as Derivatives] | + | * 2009-05-02: [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aw5EZ9BzrgtU Grove Says Patent System May Have Same Flaws as Derivatives] (See: [[Andy Grove on software patents]]) |
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
Revision as of 00:07, 31 March 2010
The problem of speculation is that by granting software patents which are mostly not being used as a property right (not going to court) but which are being as proof for financial deals, we're moving to a situation where one day there will be companies failing and then they'll start looking for what money their patents can get them. This could aggravate the patent troll problem if failing software companies look to outsource the monetising of their patents to "experts".
(Can someone check if I've understood this: In the USA, a Federal Circuit court confirmed that when a patent is used to secure a loan, and the loan goes unpaid, the transfer of a patent by foreclosure does indeed allow the new owner to enforce the patent.[1])
Microsoft against speculators
In the 2009 i4i v. Microsoft court case, the Microsoft lawyers compared i4i inc. to the banks asking for bailouts.[2]
Andy Grove
- 2009-05-02: Grove Says Patent System May Have Same Flaws as Derivatives (See: Andy Grove on software patents)
External links
- Microsoft sells patents that allegedly cover GNU/Linux - which I guess is an attempt to make money from those in the speculation market (See: Buying harmful patents)
- The Patent Bubble... Still Growing, by Brian Kahin, 2008
- Live IP Auction Catalogue - a 2009 auction of software patents from a company which is involved in neither software nor patents
