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Author Topic: Kodak asserts patents over tech used by photo sharing site(s)  (Read 1914 times)

feppe

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Kodak asserts patents over tech used by photo sharing site(s)
« on: December 21, 2010, 04:22:14 pm »

Kodak has filed a suit against Shutterfly regarding the display of online images.

Quote
[Shutterfly] disputes these claims and has launched a counter suit.

But the landmark case could have ramifications for other popular online photo sites such as Yahoo's Flickr and Google's Picassa [sic].

...

"The patents Kodak holds are incredibly broad, effectively covering images that are stored centrally and can be ordered online," she said.

That's likely to mean Kodak will go after other online image sites it believes also infringe its patents, she added.

...

Kodak said it has over 400 similar patents.

"We are committed to protecting these assets from unauthorised use," it said in a statement.

...

The case may hinge on Kodak's ability to show that when it filed the patents they covered technology that was genuinely innovative, she added.

Rob C

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Re: Kodak asserts patents over tech used by photo sharing site(s)
« Reply #1 on: December 24, 2010, 05:14:29 am »

Good for Kodak: at last somebody with muscle standing up for its rights in the photo world! As long as that doesn't mess up my own wee site based upon Weebly technology, that is. Who needs the rest of the clutter? I'm sure that with most of it gone it would speed up my computer no end.

Rob C

davidewers

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Re: Kodak asserts patents over tech used by photo sharing site(s)
« Reply #2 on: December 24, 2010, 05:35:37 am »

This is the same kind of BS  we saw so much in the 80's & 90's. When a company is not viable on its own it starts lawsuites against everyone. Apple tried it against IBM and Microsoft and was lost on almost all counts. Grow up Kodak and make the old fashion way
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BernardLanguillier

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Re: Kodak asserts patents over tech used by photo sharing site(s)
« Reply #3 on: December 25, 2010, 04:12:56 am »

I bet that some law consulting firm invested a few months looking into the patents of Kodak, found a possible opening, and managed to convince some Kodak exec that they could generate a few 10 M$ revenue by going to court... :)

Cheers,
Bernard

Rob C

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Re: Kodak asserts patents over tech used by photo sharing site(s)
« Reply #4 on: December 25, 2010, 05:22:33 am »

I bet that some law consulting firm invested a few months looking into the patents of Kodak, found a possible opening, and managed to convince some Kodak exec that they could generate a few 10 M$ revenue by going to court... :)

Cheers,
Bernard



And why not, if they are right and have a genuine claim? Big ain't always bad.

Rob C

Justinr

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Re: Kodak asserts patents over tech used by photo sharing site(s)
« Reply #5 on: December 25, 2010, 08:55:50 am »


And why not, if they are right and have a genuine claim? Big ain't always bad.

Rob C

Quite. The law is the law and Kodak are as entitled to use it as anyone else, in fact my main problem is that they have greater access to it due to their wealth but that's another subject altogether. Why should the law be suspended just because the world has moved on and everybody now feels they are free to take advantage of a photographers work just because it's on the net?

Justin.
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feppe

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Re: Kodak asserts patents over tech used by photo sharing site(s)
« Reply #6 on: December 25, 2010, 10:24:44 am »

Quite. The law is the law and Kodak are as entitled to use it as anyone else, in fact my main problem is that they have greater access to it due to their wealth but that's another subject altogether. Why should the law be suspended just because the world has moved on and everybody now feels they are free to take advantage of a photographers work just because it's on the net?

Let's not confuse this case with copyright or the (claimed) erosion of photographers' rights. The case in question has nothing to do with those. It's all about patent law.

As David said, patent trolling has become a lucrative business for many companies. Far-reaching software patents especially are highly controversial for a good reason, as many of them arguably require only trivial knowledge to create. Perhaps the most notorious case is where Amazon successfully patented one-click ordering (as opposed to doing it in two or three clicks) in the US, but were rejected in Europe.

I haven't read the Kodak patents in question, so it's hard to say if they are as ridiculously broad and trivial. That will be for the courts to decide - or most likely a basis for the size of the ranso... settlement Google et al will have to pay.

Alan Klein

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Re: Kodak asserts patents over tech used by photo sharing site(s)
« Reply #7 on: December 27, 2010, 10:08:32 pm »

The article wasn't clear as to what their patent is.  Can anyone explain it.

RFPhotography

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Re: Kodak asserts patents over tech used by photo sharing site(s)
« Reply #8 on: December 31, 2010, 08:58:55 am »

Kodak's new marketing slogan:  'You press the button, we sue the rest.'  ;D

Eastman would be so proud.  ::)
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