3D Lawsuit Extends To Hardware Manufacturers

[hal]

Continuing to follow GameDAILY's 3D Lawsuit Names Top Publishers story: It seems that the law firm McKool Smith has now named hardware manufacturers HP, Dell, IBM, Toshiba, SCEA, Acer, MPC, Systemax, Fujitsu, Micro Electronics, Matsu****a, Averatec, Polywell, Sharp, Twinhead, Uniwill, and JVC in an ever-growing extension of it's patent lawsuit. The complaint asserts that the named parties infringed upon the following:

patent 4,730,185 entitled "Graphics Display Methods and Apparatus for Color Dithering"
patent 5,132,670 entitled "System for Improving Two-Color Display Operations"
patent 5,109,520 entitled "Image Frame Buffer Access Speedup By Providing Multiple Buffer Controls Each Containing Command FIFO Buffers"
patent 4,742,474 entitled "Variable Access Frame Buffer Memory"
patent 4,694,286 entitled "Apparatus and Method for Modifying Displayed Color Images"
patent 4,761,642 entitled "System for Providing Data Communication Between a Computer Terminal and a Polarity of Concurrent Processes Running on a Multiple Process Computer"

Or, virtually anything PC-related.

All seven of these patents were issued in 1992 or earlier, to Tektronix, Inc. It appears that Tektronix sold these patents to McKool Smith, who has used them to bring suit against these 19 hardware manufacturers and the 12 software publishers, just months before the opportunity to do so was up. McKool Smith maintains that these companies are in violation because they assemble machines that enable the patented functionality.

On a related note, I have patented Oxygen and consonants.

[Plouj]

Good thing no one patented knoppix. Oh wait, its free.

I patent jokes.

[T2A`]

Everyone over at McUnKool Smith needs a swift kick in the nuts. Thrice.

[JonAzz]

Originally Posted by hal

On a related note, I have patented Oxygen and consonants.

bitch I patented it years ago! I'm sueing your ass, and while I'm at it I'll sue you for useing water since I also invented that. o and I've now remaned consonants to yabahaloo, and patented it also... hrmm.... now to go see if I can sue anyone for useing words I patented in the dictionary...

o wait the dictionary is already patented... damn I can't use it then!


I'm sorry but this is very very sad
next they're going to sue nVidia and ATI becuase they're violating something... like perhaps just being there O_O

since when can people just go around and say that they patented this, your useing it, therefore I will sue you till you come crying to me with money!

I hope this blows over it will soon be illagel to log onto the internet... O_o


btw I also patented the overuse of smilies patent...

[Plouj]

I just CAN'T wait to see what happens with all this BS. At such proportions, anything can

[TaoPaiPai]

Well they should extend the lawsuit to all individual possessors of personal computers since they are also using hardware and software in total violation of the patent.

[Plouj]

but there must be computers involved in the process...

[SirTahngarth]

Dont these people realize that they will totally destroy the gaming, PC, and pretty much the entire electronics industry if they wont this lawsuit? It should be obvious to even a grade-school dropout that this is all about getting a cut of all electronics sales everywhere, not about truth and justice. Notice how they seemed to wait until just before the end of their allowable time period to file the suit? That can't be a coincidence.

On a related note, there is a patent on the logic methodology used to form this post. Violators will be proseuted.

[Blaaguuu]

God bless America.

[1338]

Such big-name companies as HP, Dell, IBM, and Toshiba will throw lots of money at them to try and settle out of court. That's exactly what these people want.

[Zur]

Let's all send an e-mail and ask Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive, Ubisoft, Activision, Atari, THQ, Vivendi Universal Games, Sega, Square Enix, Tecmo, LucasArts, Namco Hometek, HP, Dell, IBM, Toshiba, SCEA, Acer, MPC, Systemax, Fujitsu, Micro Electronics, Matsu****a, Averatec, Polywell, Sharp, Twinhead, Uniwill and JVC to buy out McKool Smith so they can throw these claims in the bin. I'd bet that the gaming public is willing to chip in too .

P.S: BuF has a pretty advanced censoring system .

[JonAzz]

Originally Posted by SirTahngarth

On a related note, there is a patent on the logic methodology used to form this post. Violators will be proseuted.

most likely...

can we get an exact address of where this law firm is... don't ask questions, I just need an address

[MachDelta]

Actually, i'd hope that many big name companies would throw their money at a big bad group of baby-eating, ass-kicking, nut-stomping, foaming-at-the-mouth rabid lawyers. Have em beat McSuck Stupidface into a legal coma.

[1338]

Originally Posted by MachDelta

Actually, i'd hope that many big name companies would throw their money at a big bad group of baby-eating, ass-kicking, nut-stomping, foaming-at-the-mouth rabid lawyers. Have em beat McSuck Stupidface into a legal coma.

Er, well, that could work too.

[JaFO]

That won't work ... to be placed in a coma you need to have a brain first ....

I think I'll patent stupid & useless lawsuits and then I'll patent methods of wasting valuable time.

[MÆST]

All you are infringing on my patent of the English language. My lawyers will be contacting you shortly.

[Blaaguuu]

from this day forward, i shall replace all words synonimous with "stupid" in my vocabulary with... "McKool"

[Fordy]

Dont worry all this will probably never make it court, only thing it might destroy is that stupid law firms reputation.

(Ummm do law firms have actually have reputations to destroy?)

[FluXs]

Originally Posted by MÆST

All you are infringing on my patent of the English language. My lawyers will be contacting you shortly.

I think you will find the British got there first :P

LOL, i bet i can see these companies sitting in an office and when they get this letter saying WTF and throwing it in the bin.

Maybe they are hoping McKool will be bought out for a trillian pounds.

I wonder if anyone has patented the idea of patenting stuff, oh wait McKool already have, but it runs out next year

you could always tell them how you feel.....there contacts page is here

http://www.mckoolsmith.com/contactus.html


...one thing, have this law company given any thought to there next IT system purchases. can't see meny companies wanting to supply them after this..........