Mojang's being sued again

[Sorontar]

Fun and games in the land of business. Notch has received a letter from a company in Texas (Uniloc USA) claiming that Mojang has breeched their patent on mobile technology. (https://twitter.com/notch/status/226603785504579584)

Step 1: Wake up. Step 2: Check email. Step 3: See we're being sued for patent infringement. Step 4: Smile.
Unfortunately for them, they're suing us over a software patent. If needed, I will throw piles of money at making sure they don't get a cent
Here's the PDF they sent me: http://notch.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/mojang.pdf …
Software patents are plain evil. Innovation within software is basically free, and it's growing incredibly rapid. Patents only slow it down.

Looking at the letter

Mojang is directly infringing one or more claims of the ’067 patent in this judicial
district and elsewhere in Texas, including at least claim 107, without the consent or authorization
of Uniloc, by or through making, using, offering for sale, selling and/or importing Android based
applications for use on cellular phones and/or tablet devices that require communication with a
server to perform a license check to prevent the unauthorized use of said application, including,
but not limited to, Mindcraft.

And no, I didn't make a typo. They spelt it as "Mindcraft". Let's just say that Uniloc have been trying to get money from companies this way for a while (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniloc):

Uniloc has sued 73 companies over violating its patent. 25 of those companies have settled according to Uniloc.

One of the principals of Unlioc is Aussie Ric Richardson, who may well have invented the technology that is at issue:

The machine fingerprinting technology is used to stop software piracy, it was developed as Richardson worked on piracy protection for his own software called One-Step.

Sigh, I am hoping that this doesn't become a huge waste of time and technology for Mojang.

Sorontar

[Dalerahl]

Seems fairly ambiguous, US/AUS courts seem to like pasting the big guy even if the little guy is in the wrong, although if Microsoft Settled then they might not be so little now.

Lets Challenge Ric to a duel in Minecraft... I will bring a Bow and Arrow.

[segreto]

Lets hope mindcraft turns out to be an awesome game where there is a sandbox of the brain, and players can use metacognition, memory, logic, and perhaps some physical synaptic functions to create a world where you can only win if you think first. Logic and reasoning, much unlike what is presented in this lawsuit, would enable you to build and create. Greed and mental slowless would result in you falling in lava and having to play Barbie's Horse Adventure.

[DarkDuck]

I must say this is BS. Of course the thing is by mispellign the games name they have voided thier case, and then if they do it again, Mojong can counter sue for harasment, the possibilities are immence

[Akira Doe]

Patent Litigation Weekly: Uniloc Keeps Filing Software Suits, and NPE Patents Fare Poorly At Trial - Corporate Counsel

Uniloc has sued 73 companies over violating its patent. 25 of those companies have settled according to Uniloc.

[Sorontar]

On Patents : The Word of Notch

Summary: Theft is bad for society. Copyright infringement is good and bad for society. Software Patents should never exist.

[DarkDuck]

when the human genome was patented thats when patent legislsation had gone to far.

[Sorontar]

Ric Richardson has responded (Ric Richardson | Inventor: Ric Richardson reaction to negative press on Uniloc vs Majong). The disclaimer at the start of his response says:

Please note that Ric is not a principle at Uniloc, does not speak for the company, neither does he have influence over the companies actions since he is only a non majority shareholder. Further, Ric is the inventor of the 216 patent which was the centre of the court case with Microsoft. HE IS NOT the inventor of the patent at dispute with Majong.

He also has posted the following comments in support of patents in general - Ric Richardson | Inventor: In defense of patents.

And yes, the spelling and grammar is appalling at times.

Sorontar

[Medieval]

He does seem to be in the habit of inventing other peoples technologies well after they have gone to market or for claiming to have invented the bleeding obvious.