What Good Does It Do To Shut Down Trade Show Booths Over Patent Claims?
from the this-does-not-promote-the-progress dept
A somewhat bizarre situation happened in Germany earlier this week, where various demonstrators at the popular CeBit trade show had their booths raided by German police, confiscating various gadgets for infringing on patents. Patent law is a bit different in Germany, allowing this type of seizure, but I can't understand what sort of practical reason there could be for allowing such a thing. No one was directly selling these products, just demonstrating them. Second, confiscating the products ruins the tradeshow appearance for these companies without them having a chance to defend themselves against the charges of infringement. I could understand preventing the sale of products after it's proven in a trial that infringement occurred, but to simply confiscate display gadgets without a trial seems counterproductive. All it's really going to do is convince consumer electronics companies not to go to German trade shows any more, and focus on showing off new innovations in other countries.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Seems to that you would want something from a stolen patent to make lots of money for your competitor so there is something to sue for later.
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Agreed
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Re: Agreed
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Re: Re: Agreed
What judge? What warrant? That's the whole point. These raids and confiscations are being carried out without trial.
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Re: Agreed
Um, none of the above? There were only allegations of infringement.
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Shakedown
Aren't patents great?
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there
but for the special legislation situation in germany - they could have filed charges involving private law, but cleverly they acted in using civil law. that bought them a search and take warrant for the exhibition.
german courts are kinda forced to do this, if the accused is not reacting to letters from the court or is not willing to pay the fine associated with refraining from copywrong infringement...
same is to be said for filesharer cases in which the accused are offered to pay either a ridiculous amount of money to the accusing lawyers or a even more ridiculous amount in defending ones right in court
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old innovations?
When Shiva dances, change follows.
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I'd love to steal all of your posts.....
Now, of course what you write is worthless and there is so much better, smarter writing out there, but for a moment, suspend reality and let's pretend you were a smart guy and everyone loved your stuff and you got paid for this.
OK?
I mean what about all of the your work that I stole?...you can not be so upset I stole your work, right?...you think it is ok for others to take my ideas for free...but in your case, hey you can't do a thing because you have no money to get at me...others might search for a lawyer to take your case on contingency...there had better be some money in owning your thoughts because with writers being a dime-a-dozen, your "written product" has got to offer the reader much more than any other writer to inspire that reader to read your stuff beyond the first paragraph. That is called the MARKET. All I ask is that the market judge if I made a better mousetrap. If there is a better mouse trap, the market will tell me real quick if my patent is worthless or not.
A bit of hyperbole, but I am certain that if this happened to you, your stuff was lifted and claimed to be written by someone else, EVEN IF YOU WERE NOT PAID, you would be doing headstands trying to get people to stop giving that thief your accolades for such good written material (those last 3 words are Fantasy)
shit...you are not even worth the effort...you couldn't even invent anything beyond this stupid worthless shit I am seeing on the screen that you blather on about. No one reads work that reeks of someone green and unseasoned in common sense like yourself...I had better move on before your stupidity clings…..blecckk!
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I just looked at the resume...shocking...
My best friend went to Cornell and got his MBA too.
From what I just read, you must be making that all up. No one with that much 'education' could lack that much common sense. You got ripped off by Cornell, pal! I don't see anything here that rubbed off while you were there!
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Re: I just looked at the resume...shocking...
everybody and his brother knows by now that Mikey is a paid corporate stooge and a shill for RIM
Money doesn't stink...
Don't take his shitty web blog for real
for me it's just another place to shit on the internet
After all, most of the internet nowadays is just a huge pile of useless garbage
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legality of German practice
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Re: legality of German practice
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German Practice ... What about here in the US?
We started a small two person company with a great new technology on a wing and a prayer. (read .. underfunded) We worked at for a year to get a prototype of product built and tested. The product we designed was innovative and would have been the only one on the market that had its capabilities and at a very attractive price. We scheduled a introduction at a major industry Trade show. Minutes after the show opened, the US Marshalls confiscated our prototype, all of our marketing materials, our laptops with all of our documentation, marketing and customer info and they even went through our personal suitcases. A large company from the UK found a US law firm who went to a small district court with an elderly judge and got him to sign a emergency order on the grounds that we were stealing and revealing their proprietary technology. Our equipment went to the UK so the other company could “evaluate it to determine if we were using their technology”. Long story … we ran out of lawyer $$ fast and was never able to get our property back. The other company is now releasing a product with the same look and software interface as ours and touting a complete re-engineering of their former product. We couldn’t find a reputable law firm that would take on the case for less than $220K. We found out that it was a common tactic for this law firm to use this judge in cases like this and that they always win. In the final ruling the judge ordered me and my partner to refrain from working in any way in this field for five years. No it wasn’t right, I’m sure not legal but without the $$ you can’t fight it. You’ll say that this can not happen …. It did and it does.
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Re: German Practice ... What about here in the US?
Please, be more specific
You are not telling the whole story here.....
That's not accidental patent infringement you are talking about...
Sounds more like industrial espionage or plain theft on your part...
retarded techdirt readers might get wrong impression
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Re: Re: German Practice ... What about here in the
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reaguest for your assistanship
Address: 05 BP 2304 Abidjan 05
Cote d'Ivoire
Dear,
I am GEORG KRAMO, the only SON of my late parents Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred George Kramo. My father was a highly reputable business magnet who operated internationally during his days. It is sad to say that he passed away mysteriously in one of his business trips abroad on the 17th September 2003 .
Though his sudden death was linked or rather suspected to have been masterminded by an uncle of mine who traveled with him at that time. But God knows the truth! My mother died when I was just 6yrs old, and since then my father took me so special.
Before the death of my father on 17th September 2003 , he called me and informed me that he has the sum of Five million seven hundred thousand united states dollars.USD ($8.700, 000) left in a Security Company here in Abidjan . My father told me that he deposited the money in my name and also gave me all the necessary information and the legal documents regarding to this deposit with the Security Company.
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This is because I have suffered a lot of set backs as a result of incessant political crisis here in Cote d'ivoire.The death of my father actually brought sorrow to my life. I also want to invest the fund under your care because I am ignorant of business world.
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1. Can I completely trust you?
2. What percentage of the total amount will be good for you after the deposit is delivered to your
Care?
you can contact me with my private e:mail:
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Thanks and God bless you.
Yours Sincerely
GEORGE KRAMO
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