iTunes, Sony PlayStation Network targeted in patent suit

A South African inventor has claimed in a U.S. federal court that Apple’s iTunes and Sony’s PlayStation Network infringe a patent relating to a “data vending system” issued to him in 2004.

In lawsuits filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Benjamin Grobler alleged that Apple and Sony have infringed U.S. Patent No. 6,799,084 by making and offering infringing data vending systems such as iTunes and the PlayStation Network, and that the companies are inducing their customers’ infringement by using these systems, according to Grobler’s attorneys.

[Emilio_Estevez]

This is why patents are a joke. Someone gave this guy a patent for physical downloading systems essentially. He won't win this, his patent will likely be rendered useless in one way or another.

[Bundi]

Or so you hope, because lord sony is involved.

[xXBlondieVanHarlowXx]

@Bundi

You, your useless comment, and your one bubble are hilarious. I can't wait to hear more,,,,, Oh wait

[mobhit]

If you hate Sony, then stay out of Sony related articles. You should have 0 bubbles for an ignorant/childish statement.

[Hicken]

Don't be stupid. It's bad news for everybody, as it sets a very bad precedent.

In the fall of last year on the radio program This American Life, patent suits were discussed. One thing they mentioned was that they did some searching and found something like 35+ patents for the same or very similar DIGITAL concept(the story was about a guy being sued over some photo software he created and used for a website) that were either appending or already approved. The kicker was that the guy wasn't even being sued by the person who filed the patent, but a company that bought it and many others, called a "patent troll."

My guess is that there are probably a dozen other patents for very similar services, some approved, others still pending. And all of them are likely very vaguely worded, so that interpretations that result in "infringement" can be very common. In fact, I'd wager that the vast majority of patents, especially software-related ones, are more than a little nondescript. If this holds up in court, then he's legally owed money for all other devices that "infringe" upon this patent, even if the idea was created and in use before his own.

You've got one bubble, just like me. Why couldn't you have used it for a more productive comment?

[fei-hung]

Wonder if Bundi is a troll on a trolling wage similar to the dude who donethe EA expose.

Either that or the power th3 c3ll has fried Bundies brain leaving him useless!

OTT, these patent wars are getting silly!

[catfrog]

not only sony, but every company operating on a digital distribution platform. imagine if he wins this case, he could go on to sue just about any company working in this field. his patent is very vague, it pretty much says that if you have digital distribution, youre in violation of this patent.

heres the abstract if you havent seen it yet:

The invention provides a data vending system 10 including the storing data such as digitised music and/or video and/or computer programs on one or more main computer i.e. the data depot 12 and dispensing the data to a uniquely identifiable data carrier 30. The data on the data depot 12 includes a database which maintains owner and/or possessor records for each said data carrier 30, the data being selected from the group including ownership or possession history of the data carrier, personal details of the past and present owner and/or possessor of the data carrier, demographic data about the user/owner of the data carrier, data recorded onto the data carrier at an authorised data dispensing device (either cumulatively or periodically, by title, by artist, etc), data rented and the rental period (either cumulatively or periodically, by title, by artist, etc), the user's normal requirements, the user's payment records, royalties paid to the copyright owner by the user, and favourite data of the user.

[kreate]

Thats a good one hehe :)

[Emilio_Estevez]

Patents being a joke has nothing to do with who the patent suit is about, it's a system destined to fail. They give out almost any patent and it's up to people to sue after the fact.

Remember, constant trolling will get you banned from commenting all together.

[Colonel_Dante]

what a vague patent he has.
you're not the 1st,wont be the last.
Goodluck.... chump.

[Series_IIa]

Don't dismiss it just yet. Apple have been winning patent battles with loose and vague patents for years...

[lodossrage]

For god sake Bundi, what do you do all day? Just make a point to try to defame Sony day in and day out?

Can't you go do something with your life. Like get a job or something? lol

[mobhit]

Sony must have robbed him at gunpoint or something.

[artsaber]

Breathing? Sunlight? Toilet Usage with intent to dispose of urine or feces?