03-17-2009, 05:51 PM | #1 | |
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Is the Amazon Kindle infringing patents?
Amazon is being sued by Discovery Communications, the parent company of the Discovery Channel, for infringing one of their patents, referred to as "Electronic book security and copyright protection system."
According to Ars Technica: Quote:
You can view the patent in question over here. The complaint is also available online, over here (PDF). Thanks to Mycropht and Treadstone71 for reporting to us the news! |
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03-17-2009, 05:53 PM | #2 |
Uebermensch
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Oh the irony!!! You see, DRM is evil.
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03-17-2009, 05:55 PM | #3 |
zeldinha zippy zeldissima
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it is pretty ironic, isn't it.
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03-17-2009, 05:59 PM | #4 |
I'm Super Kindle-icious
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Am I confused (haven't read the PDF yet) but doesn't this affect all ebook readers and retailers?
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03-17-2009, 06:04 PM | #5 |
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Does this mean they have to change their DRM scheme? Or the way they deliver ebooks?
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03-17-2009, 06:08 PM | #6 |
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This will never fly. Encryption and key management is a non-patentable obvious and widely used methodology.
BOb |
03-17-2009, 06:09 PM | #7 |
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I don't understand patents nowadays. How can something so simple and obvious and so generic be patentable?
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03-17-2009, 06:09 PM | #8 |
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When I first saw this, I noticed only the DRM stuff. However, the Ars article goes into more depth, and the DRM issues may be secondary. It looks like the patent also covers Whispernet and buying content from the device.
Mostly, though, I did think it was an interesting coincidence that this came out so soon after the kindlepid.py issue. |
03-17-2009, 06:21 PM | #9 |
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03-17-2009, 06:30 PM | #10 |
GuteBook/Mobi2IMP Creator
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This is what is shown as a typical hardware ebook reader back when the patent was first filed (in 1999, I believe).
A bit on the thick side! For comparison, I give you my ebook reader, as filed with it's patent in 1998! Last edited by nrapallo; 03-17-2009 at 07:47 PM. Reason: took out the transparancy in the 1999_ebook_reader.gif |
03-17-2009, 06:30 PM | #11 | |
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Quote:
I think congress subsequently changed the rules concerning tax planning patents. So I guess a patent for a ebook delivery system is not so far fetched. |
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03-17-2009, 06:32 PM | #12 |
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This is actually funny considering the whole 1-Click patent. Did that actually stand? I don't recall.
BOb |
03-17-2009, 06:46 PM | #13 |
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03-17-2009, 06:49 PM | #14 |
Literacy = Understanding
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Not yet, Daffy. The heart of the patent has to do with using wireless service to deliver content, not with the ebook device per se. Right now, in the U.S. that means Amazon.
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03-17-2009, 06:51 PM | #15 |
Literacy = Understanding
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More interesting is that the patent was granted at the same time (or within a month thereof) as K1 was released. Had Amazon done its due diligence, it should have seen the pending patent applications as well as the older patents issued that are involved.
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