S'pore firm claims patent to image search

[kairin]

http://www.zdnetasia.com/techguide/s...2041802,00.htm

a local company, trying to be entrepreneurial?

or downright extortionist?

however this reminds me of the GIF patent issues (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphic...rchange_Format) that was a big hu-ha on the internet back when it was still relatively new.

even the popular jpeg file format (http://slashdot.org/yro/02/07/18/157217.shtml?tid=155) was under a patent ambush by a tech company.

http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/2002/07/53981

the tech company earned $105mil through royalties from that patent (http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-6034544.html), the fact that they managed to get even large corporation like Sony to pay royalties (but sony can pay for just about anything anyway...)

what worries me is that this local company will get its way due to how IP rights in singapore may be different. (i'm using may because... well i dunno much about the IP laws... so i assume they are getting their way with it...)

just for some info on the jpeg patent issues on wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JPEG#Po..._patent_issues

is there anyone out there who can shed a light or two with regards to this issue?

[Parka]

I think your link to the wikipedia article at the bottom pretty much gives you an idea of how this case will turn out. Specifically the quote "The JPEG committee investigated the patent claims in 2002 and were of the opinion that they were invalidated by prior art." How that local company is going to argue and win is going to be a miracle. That's unless, of course, that they did rightfully created the patent through their own effort.

Ambushing is really a business strategy, although many people will see it as unethical.

[vince123123]

Go read the HWZ thread on this - I've given much insight on the legal issues there already

[kairin]

thanks

found the thread here