Microsoft Doesn't Want Anyone Stealing Its Mouse Patents
Posted 08/01/08 at 09:03:02 AM | by Chris Moody
Microsoft, which is more often on the receiving side of patent infringement claims, now finds itself on the other side of the legal fence and is taking Primax Electronics to task.
Microsoft is upset over several patents on two different technologies used in computer mice. The first is U2, which allows a mouse to connect to both USB and PS/2 ports and then auto detects the port that is being used. The other, TiltWheel, adds additional cursor movement abilities via mouse tipping (not related to cow tipping).
CNet quotes Microsoft Deputy General Counsel Horacio Gutierrez as saying that they filed a complaint with the International Trade Commission against Primax Electronics only after "repeated attempts to engage in meaningful license terms over the past two years."
Microsoft is known to have an open policy with licensing its intellectual property. They license for years at a time and have more than 20 companies that are part of its hardware technology licensing program.
Microsoft does not sound like it is landing in the realm of Patent Troll here; they actually make the products and have other companies licensing the patents. What do you think? Is Microsoft being a Patent Troll or is it just guarding its intellectual property? Sound off below!
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Microsoft...Y/N..Good or Bad... Both (of the 2!)
Submitted by TheDuck on Sat, 2008-08-02 15:53
Though I love most Microsoft mouses (They last a long time, long great, and perform great too), Microsoft is being the Patent Troll... In this case... I would say MS is trying to take out their anger of some other companies on Primex. Am I crazy? Let me know!
Problem is, Vista DOES
Submitted by ExarKun1138 on Fri, 2008-08-01 10:56
Problem is, Vista DOES "suxxors", big time! This is a way to CONTINUE to voice our displeasure with Microsoft for releasing ANOTHER OS that was doomed from the beginning because of MS's arrogance! Remember "Millinium Edition" of Windows? Vista can be looked upon as a joke as much as "m.e." So, any chance we upset users can get to chastize Microsoft for doing something as pathetic and awfull as Vista, we will....or at least I will. Vista has single handedly allowed Apple to gain better trust with the average consumer today, and has had the OPPOSITE effect MS was hoping for! SO let them whine about their mouse crap! Logitech makes better input hardware anyways, so MS can cry all they want. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE XP Pro! Excellent OS! And YES, I know it had some issues upon release, but nothing so major and disheartening as what Vista did. XP didn't make people "Go Apple" like Vista has! In fact, Apple rarely pokes fun at XP, other than to call it a "downgrade" from Vista, and even then, admit it's so much better than Vista, and about equal to Leapord! Pathetic!
So now they are griping about their "mouse patents", and they sound like the Big Oil companies griping about profits and not being able to pay for new drilling! It's a bunch of crap!
Submitted by strykyr on Sat, 2008-08-02 04:11
It's people who don't know what they are doing thats the problem. Not only am I running Vista, but 64bit. And it's done everything I have asked it to do. The things it won't do are things I already expected to happen because reading is fundamental. All you Vista haters need to go find vista for dummies and start reading. Grow the hell up.
I don't recall saying that
Submitted by jwalch.hawk on Sat, 2008-08-02 01:40
I don't recall saying that Vista didn't suck (at least not here). I'm weary of that argument. My point was that the article had absolutely zilch to do with Vista. I don't care if you bash Vista in every article it's mentioned in. Hell, enough people do that anyway... Probably why MaxPC doesn't hardly mention it any more (well, that and the fact that it's hardly "news").
For the record, that's a blatently invalid comparison. Microsoft is not complaining about their profits. They are complaining about the fact that someone is stealing what is rightfully theirs - their intellectual property. While you can argue that their primary motivation for doing this is that they have been financially impacted (loss of profits) by having someone do this, that's a symptom of the damage done, not the cause itself. However, comparing their complaints to oil companies griping directly about financial considerations isn't as apples to apples as you're making it seem. On principle alone, I support MS's right to take this matter to court. Stealing intellectual property isn't cool. Now, there are other arguments to be had about whether or not the way the court handles intellectual property rights as whole (ie, is it anywhere close to a good model right now?)... But does MS have an explicit right to sue the pants off anyone found to be stealing something they have been cooperative about licensing out? Damn right they do. Heck, they should. It shows that they care about their product... But maybe I'm just freaky in how I look at things.
Submitted by jwalch.hawk on Fri, 2008-08-01 10:42
I'm beginning to notice the response to anything Micrososft does is that Vista suxxors. People, that wasn't the point. They are entirely different departments of a massive company. A Microsoft mouse doesn't have a goddamn thing to do with Vista other than the fact that you can use one in the OS (although it would be hilarious if their own drivers were janked).
Microsoft developed a product, willingly licenses its intellectual property to other companies, and yet still had someone use it without their express permission. This isn't MS maintaining a monopoly. This isn't MS spreading its evil throughout the land. This is MS being taken advantage of. The fact that you may or may not like them has no bearing whatsoever on their legal right to persecute those who have wronged them.
Submitted by ExarKun1138 on Fri, 2008-08-01 10:25
I could really care less about Microsoft's Mouse Claims. I use Logitech's G5 Mouse, since it is a superior mouse to anything Microsoft has ever done. Microsoft can also blab on and on about their keyboards if they choose too, and I won't care......I use, again, Logitech's G15 Keyboard for my main plank! To me, Logitech just simply makes better keyboard/mouse hardware than Microsoft! Maybe Microsoft needs to worry more about the pathetic Vista OS and not so much about "pointing devices", and put that time into fixing/remaking a better OS to succeed the superior XP Pro!
Submitted by strykyr on Fri, 2008-08-01 08:15
How can they make someone pay them for the ability to design a mouse wheel that tilts? I mean come on people. There HAS to be at least one other way to design the things so that its different enough to not infringe on the patent Billy owns. And quite frankly, Considering his bank balance...WTF FOR? He can afford to spare a few dimes here and there.
Submitted by rb3m on Fri, 2008-08-01 11:49
Well, yes. Microsoft must be thinking that the design is too similar to their own to be just a coincidence. Of course, it could be a coincidence, that's what the judge will try to determine. All companies have to defend their patents, at least show that they're willing to fight for them.In the case of MS at least they spend money in research and development, marketing and manufacturing. It's not like they just buy patents and then sue whatever has the same color.
Submitted by yagisencho on Fri, 2008-08-01 10:23
Now that patent ideas can be borrowed, I can go ahead with marketing my 'jPhone' idea. It has a sleek, multi-touch interface that I'm sure Apple won't mind my emulating. They can spare the cash anyway.
</TongueInCheek>
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