Someone just shot the monkey. Patent Monkey, a Web-based patent database, is closing up shop and selling its assets to domain-name holding company Internet Real Estate Group (IREG) and Monster Venture Partners (MVP). (Disclosure: Patent Monkey is a CrunchGear affiliate). The Patent Monkey search and index capabilities will serve as the back-end technology for Patents.com, which IRG recently acquired for an undisclosed sum speculated to be over $1 million. Patent Monkey co-founder Paul Ratcliffe will make the transition to Patents.com as CEO, while co-founder Cory Sorice has moved on to Black & Decker as Director of Business Development. Patent Monkey now joins the deadpool. But it shall rise again as Patents.com, which is slated to launch in the next few weeks, coinciding closely with a series A venture round that Monster says should close within the next 30 days. Patents.com plans to serve both the mainstream market and lawyers, but given Patent Monkey’s inability to reach profitability in this space, it remains debatable whether or not the new entity, with more overhead, will have any more luck. On the other hand, Free Patents Online currently sits in the Alexa top 3,000 and does business solely through ads, suggesting that Patents.com has the potential to turn a profit through targeted ad sales alone. More interesting, however, is Patents.com’s potential to broach the more professional realm of Internet IP, a field currently dominated by Delphion . Due in part to its ad-supported initiative, it can forgo the $100 – $250 monthly fee that Delphion charges—a move that could help it to gain traction more quickly. The goal then is to create an international patent licensing network wherein patent owners can claim their patents and provide contact information. Patents.com could then serve as a sort of patents brokerage, providing a communications conduit between patent owners and patent searchers who may wish to license them, which is not insignificant. According to McKinsey Quarterly (PDF file) , the licensing of U.S. patents alone grosses $100 billion annually, indicating that a channel for effectively communicating with patent holders could be monetized handsomely. Monster Venture Partners founder Rob Monster will serve as chairman for the newly structured entity. Through Monster’s involvement, the new Patents.com will be translated into 15 languages using Worldlingo, a company in which Monster sits on the board. While Patents.com will launch serving only U.S. patents, it has ambitions to soon index documents from → Read More
While Congress takes a break for August on The Patent Reform Act, two competitors are stealing some of the thunder: the USPTO and the US Circuit of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC). Heads are spinning to keep abreast of the broad, rapid-fire changes that are being dealt to the patent universe. Namely, just this week, the CAFC reversed its view on willful infringement damages in a case with Seagate, and the PTO held a webinar to cover its Nov 1st new requirements to Improve Patent Quality. An overview with links, and some commentary on the continued shift after the jump → Read More
OOOOH, multi-touch: Apple’s going to a multi-touch laptop and mouse.. Think of the possibilities!!!!! Remember FireWire? Apple poured tons of resources into a superior technology with hopes of driving an industry to see data transfer from device to device in a new, faster way. With 53 patents protecting the project, it represents one of a number of over-hyped, under-utilized areas of technology now that 802.11n has emerged. Multi-touch on the iPhone is receiving the same hype, but in the long run, its all talk and no walk, here’s seven reasons why… → Read More
Recent news that Apple had applied for a means to disable recharging on a stolen device, we now have learned that Cingular conceived an even broader concept: shutting down a wireless device when out of a communication with a WiFi zone. Applicable to a number of devices beyond just cell phones, AT&T has patented a means to lock out stolen (or borrowed) wirelessly enabled gear… → Read More
Pulling my head out of monkey work, it is August in Towson, MD, my home town, and the Manly Arts Festival has arrived. The event: How did the gentlemen of Hampton settle their differences, show off their physical prowess, and learn the skills they might need at any time to defend themselves, their families, and their country? Historic martial arts! → Read More
As a consumer, I love the idea of the iPhone (=interoperability with Macs, iTunes, etc.), but in reality there are a number of features that need considering when looking at dropping several Franklins on a phone (e.g. GPS, WiFi, maintenance). Namely, Nokia announced this week that the N-Series line drove sales and profits. Despite being a big Apple fan, I’m going to lay out some facts from an IP standpoint why Nokia is the horse to bet on… → Read More
Sony PS3 has to work through a couple litigation suits and can now add the PS3 cell processor to the list. Sony is on the receiving side of a litigation suit that claims that the PS3 infringes an almost 20 year old patent (via the magic of continuations). Parallel Processing Corporation, which claims to be International Parallel Machines exclusive licensee, claims rights to US patent 5056000. Details and the hefty claim after the jump… → Read More
This week Nokia received a patent for more than just mere ringtones, but ringtones that can be modified with a secondary tone, or what they call “compound ring tones“. Oh yes, get all your friends to record singing to your favorite song as a way to know who’s calling. Details after the jump… → Read More
“May you live in interesting times”, or so they say. The USPTO and IP attorneys have been handed very interesting times indeed with recent Supreme Court decisions and Congressional alignment in pushing ahead the Patent Reform Act of 2007. History may show the turning point of frustration to be NTP’s infringement case against RIM that almost shut down the Blackberry network. Ever since, a campaign against patent infringement litigation has swung public opinion towards resolving patent gaming. Here’s a reader’s digest version of the Patent Reform Act’s main provisions and some insights from around the web… → Read More
What if the Zune was a cell phone? What if it had a touch screen on the back of it? What could you do with it? Microsoft slipped in a patent application covering a cell phone that can be used as a touch screen computer mouse for your PC. After searching on the topic, we’ve uncovered Microsoft-two-sided-cell-phone-touch-screen-control-your-PC-by-WiFi patent application goodness. Whew, details after the jump… → Read More
We get asked about how to search patents, more from people that know a little bit, but want more insight into how to search a better. In this post, we’ll give you the five steps we use to perform an initial review of an idea in the patent arena. While not as comprehensive as Patent It Yourself, techies interested in some 411, come on in… → Read More
Sony’s seamless game system to mobile device published application has me thinking about the allure of the iPhone and the state of hype in the cell phone industry. Throughout 2007, Sony has had a slew of platform crossing technologies leaked out mostly through patent applications, which end up making for great vaporware, and all possible fanboy excitement has been greatly dampened by Apple delivering the goods. More Sony application details after the jump… → Read More
Getting home, to a hotel or to a friend’s house in the wee hours may get easier thanks to Samsung’s new patented technology covering a means for transmitting directions from where you are to a desired destination location using your cell phone at the push of a button. Let’s just say this feature is as smart as Facebook opening up a developer API platform. Some potential mash-up applications for this GPS feature after the jump… → Read More
Local.com (NASDAQ: LOCM) announced today the issuance of a patented technology for paid search results provided in response to a request for directory assistance. The company hopes to tap into mobile and voice application paid search market using a pay per referral model. Local.com says this complements its recently received location based search technology. Details, and a bit of commentary, after the jump… → Read More
In the past two weeks, Peer-to-Patent has opened up a USPTO approved project allowing an open review of pending patent applications. Registered members are encouraged to read through the patents available and provide opinions on prior art and obviousness that can then become part of the PTO Examiners review of non-patent references. Today, Peer-to-Patent announced that they have taken a space on Democracy Island on Second Life allowing members to interact with videos and see information on the project. Go to where your target audience is, that’s what they say. Peer-to-Patent Opens in Second Life [Peer-to-Patent Blog] → Read More
Apple notes it is the only player one of two players in WiFi enabled smart phones offering expanded reach when cell coverage is, well, not so good. This week, NEC was issued a related patent on wirelessly downloading files by selecting between cellular or WiFi networks reminding us that the iPhone is going to launch with so many cool features, and will most happily step on some toes in doing so. NEC has been working a bit with WiFi enabled cell phone technologies. Details on the latest after the jump… → Read More
So genesis of the iPhone was sometime back in 2005, right? Interestingly, Apple happened to file a continuation on a patent application around that time covering a Universal Remote for controlling a number of home entertainment devices. A touch screen, hand held controller with a dynamic display that interacts with your entertainment appliances for information and can control a growing array of your media devices. A very iPhone-looking figure after the jump… → Read More
Sorting through this week’s cell phone makers’ issued patents, I found a couple examples of patented concepts (dating back to 2000-2001) that have found their way into the market more than once by means of “fast following”. In this post-KSR patent world, fast following on cool features will likely become even more important for manufacturers. Seen the above from a couple different players? Take a guess of two phones that use these designs and you can see a few I found after the jump… → Read More
Smart, simple and marketable. Samsung’s male adapter USB antenna for a cell phone is all of these things, yet, it is a feature not easily found. No losing a cord to charge my cell phone on the road, just a friendly USB connection to suck power from anything else in my bag with a port, and, well, power. This kind of universal access would be a major convenience. More description and why this likely won’t happen… → Read More
Two things show a company is getting ramped up to enter a business – filing for patents and lining up a trademark. Microsoft has done both in the online video arena and could be in a position to take on Joost. A recently filed trademark image and a look at Joost matched up to Microsoft’s video + chat patent after the jump. → Read More
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