Guy Who Makes Simple Caller ID App For Android Forced To Shut Down Due To Patent Threat
from the promoting-the-progress dept
You may recall that, a couple years ago, Apple was sued over its implementation of caller ID technology on the iPhone. Some company claimed to hold a patent on the basic caller ID display technology from 1990. So, when Alimas wrote in to let us know about a guy who created a really simple caller ID app for Android called (simply enough) City Caller ID, who had to shut the project down after getting sued for patent infringement, I thought maybe it was the same patent (though, you would think the 1990 patent should have expired or be close to expiring by now). But, it turns out these are totally different patents on Caller ID technology. The patents are held by a company called Cequint (6,353,664 and 7,200,212) and were granted in 2002 and 2007. Yes, for caller ID functionality. It's a database lookup. How the hell do you patent that? In this case, all the app did was take the phone number of the caller, and do a database lookup to figure out what city the call was coming from:Seriously, can any patent supporter explain with a straight face how patents like this promote progress? What kind of incentive does a patent create in this case? Can you honestly claim that this kind of monopoly was necessary to "invent" a way to match a phone number to a city?
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I have that app
The fellow put a note on the last update about this.
Seriously, it's an effing shakedown, like "you're gonna cut us (Cequint) in for 50% of your take, and we'll let you keep doing business; also, we'll let you live."
Corporate thugs demanding payment, a goddamn shakedown.
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Re: I have that app
It's a free app. To make a point out of this, I'd cut them in on the 'take' and give the 50% of nothing.
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Fact is he probably doesn't infringe, but doesn't have the time/money/knowledge to fight the suit.
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Re:
America->land of opportunity!!
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Re: Re: (patents)
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OK, so I know I'm 6 months late but can't resist a comment. So, the real problem is LAWYERS. As Shakespeare's Henry VI said, "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers".
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patent supporter
Seriously, can any patent supporter explain with a straight face how patents like this promote progress?
Being a patent supporter does not mean that one supports ALL patents. Being a patent supporter does not mean that there are not problems with the system. It is possible to be a patent supporter and at the same time be an advocate of patent reform. I don't think you will find anyone that will support the patent you are asking about here. Some things are just obvious and not deserving of a patent at all. 20 years is a mighty long time given the pace of progress that we enjoy today.
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Re: patent supporter
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Re: Re: patent supporter
Seems to me that Mike lumps all 'patent supporters' together. Honestly, I find it kind of offensive. This is the same crap that the *IAA pulls when they call just about everyone 'pirates', 'thieves' and 'criminals'.
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Re: Re: Re: patent supporter
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Re: Re: Re: patent supporter
You forgot about Angry Dude.
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Re: patent supporter
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Re: patent supporter
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Re: patent supporter
I mean.. really.. I'm sincerely asking for ideas, I've come to the conclusion that there must be 1 in 100 patents that deserve to exist at this point in time. Everything is a derivative and we have gone entirely the wrong direction on IP as a whole... In all of my studies (hundreds of patents top to bottom, some taken to trial others not) I find with few exceptions, little more than obvious, uninspired, re-worded standards and legal dribble.
I'm all for rewarding truly innovative inventions, I'm just not convinced that a 20+ year monopoly is the remedy.
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Re: Re: patent supporter
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Re: Re: Re: patent supporter
However I think there is a consensus here that any new system must be:
1) Clear about what its purpose is (is it to "promote the progress" as in the US constitution or is it there to level the playing field between individuals/small companies and the big boys ).
2) Be evidence based rather than faith based.
3) Be subject to review if the evidence shows it to be failing relative to its declared purpose.
I think this community will not react badly to anyone who argues from these premises.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: patent supporter
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Re: Re: patent supporter
I think you've answered your own question already. A death sentence for the examiner who approved this patent would be highly appropriate.
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Re: patent supporter
I don't think you will find anyone that will support the patent you are asking about here.
I bet I can find at least one. :)
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: patent supporter
m3mnoch.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: patent supporter
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"Dude, you totally win this won."
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Re: Re: Re: patent supporter
Also, and I mean no disrespect, but this is the internet; grow thicker skin and things will work out smoother. :)
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Re: Re: Re: Re: patent supporter
Thick skin is one thing. Its easy to ignore a couple of comments. I find it harder to ignore 3 or 4 comments that say the same thing, especially when they are from 'regular readers' like yourself. If I cannot get a couple of you to understand where I am coming from then I have not accomplished anything and I am just wasting my time.
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Re: patent supporter
It does seem like the second patent (I did not read the first) is simply a way to automate what someone already does manually when they look up what city an area code, or even a prefix, matches. With any luck, the Supreme Court will squelch these sorts of patents when the Bilski ruling comes out.
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Re: patent supporter
In my world of patent reform, the life-span of a patent would be much shorter. Say somewhere in the neighborhood of five years.
Separate conversation, but I'd also make copyright much shorter as well.
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Of course these patents are necessary!
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Re: Of course these patents are necessary!
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The big Mistake was:
The patents on 'caller id' only cover displaying the callers name and/or number. Neither patent describes the methodology of getting that information.
If he had 'designed' a new method of just obtaining the city that the call originated in, he would have a valid copyright.
Now if my phone is based in NYC and I am traveling to LA, and his program can show where the call is coming from and not the base city of the phone, I believe he has a valid case.
Most existing caller id's, that I have seen and used, only display the name and number of the caller, not the city of origin, unless the callers name is hidden.
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Re: The big Mistake was:
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Just drop a deuce
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patents vs land of opportunity
nah, this are not yet too obvious ... so, race to patent office ?
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While the invention has been described in accordance 5 with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope :o of the appended claims.
So basically this is saying: "If we didn't write the specifics broad enough to cover all possibilities of us getting paid, then we want to make sure we cover any loopholes that mights in any way have anything to do with the possibility of what we are discussing, so that we get paid."
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busted
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Re:
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Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of identifying a calling party to a called party, comprising:
receiving through an analog telephone line interface a telephone number of an incoming telephone call;
Is a cell phone classified as an 'analog telephone line interface' ?
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Zipcode look up
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I doubt it, and many other problems would arise in successfully accusing someone who merely wrote an App for ANDROID of infringment.
However, like I said, the guy that was writing the App probably doesn't know his arse from his elbow in patent matters, or in patent litigation. And he probably can't afford to pay someone who does.
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Balls
I say write whatever software you want!
Pirate what you want!
Take any picture, story, movie, anything you can think of and manipulate it in any way you wish!
No one can do anything to you, let them sue you what can they really do? Take your money? Only if you let them!
This kind of BS should fall under "cyber-bullying" ITS TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN!!! Well protect their future from a closed off society where only the richest of the rich is allowed access to knowledge while the rest of us pile up in the streets! Yay!...
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Re: Balls
No one can do anything to you, let them sue you what can they really do? Take your money? Only if you let them!
No, not only if you let them.
Friendly reminder: Just because 'they' have lost all sense of reason does not mean you should.
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Cequint = Garbage Patents
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It is panic....
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It is panic....
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Patent Troll
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I would like to patent the obvious
Patents are worthless. Please support any legislation which limits, abolishes or changes the transferability of patents.
Since the US Patent Office can't seem to make reasonable decisions on anything, its probably time to just get rid of patents altogether.
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Patent Prior Art, Proof
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The same way you patent any other type of software, you do a song and dance for a patent clueless clerk and ya gets a patent
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