AfterDawn: News

Three big names pulled in to patent lawsuit

A now defunct little known company founded by three Hollywood executives, Intertainer is filing a lawsuit for patent infringement against iPod developer Apple, the widely used search engine Google and the online digital media community Napster. The suit was filed Friday in Texas against the big three Internet heavyweights under the grounds that they all violated a patent held by Intertainer. Intertainer claims to have created, developed and patented the way in which digital media is distributed through cable and phone lines.

Developed in 1996, Intertainer claims that they were the first to provide a way in which digital media can be packaged for public consumption and shared over the Internet. With corporate backing (back then) from Microsoft and Intel, Intertainer looked to have a pretty good service on their hands. The company, however was forced to shut its doors in 2002 and as a result, filed an anti-trust lawsuit against rival Movielink. This investigation led to nowhere and was eventually dropped in 2004. In August of 2005, the portion of Intertainer still functioning as a company, although no longer with any financial backing from Microsoft or Intel, took out a patent for the technology used to manage and distribute digital media. This makes one wonder why it took 9 years for them to realize they should patent their ideas, if they are in fact their own.



Source:
CBC News

Written by: Dave Horvath @ 3 Jan 2007 7:57

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• 8 comments

• DVDBack23

  LOL, these losers just want money, how sad.

  3.1.2007 10:36 #1

• PeaInAPod

  Greedy bastards every single one of them.

  3.1.2007 11:52 #2

• WierdName

  Well thats the way it goes. If they did, in fact, first come up with that idea, it was their own fault for not getting a patent. However, if they didnt first think of it, then they are just one of the many losers/idiots that are just out to get anyones and everyones money.

  3.1.2007 14:07 #3

• lxfactor

  lol, they invented the internet? ha unlikely...

  3.1.2007 15:34 #4

• Ghostdog

  "Intertainer claims to have created, developed and patented the way in which digital media is distributed through cable and phone lines."
  
  That sounds a bit like the time Al Gore claimed he invented the internet.

  4.1.2007 01:26 #5

• WierdName

  But Bill gates did invent the internet. *whispers*Is he gone? He is? *says aloud* more money hungry freaks.

  4.1.2007 10:50 #6

• DADEO1

  How about one big lawsuit,call it "everybody vs everybody."

  7.1.2007 04:23 #7

• Steve83

  Anything that creates more confusion over patents, copyrights, & infringement (read: more looking-at-those-topics-from-new-points-of-view) is good for consumers & archivers.

  7.1.2007 12:00 #8