General NewsView more from General NewsBlizzard, Turbine, Sony, NCsoft Named in LawsuitSep 17th, 2009 at 10:05 AM by Togikagi

According to a Boston Globe article, Paltalk Holdings has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Turbine, Sony Corp., Activision Blizzard, NCsoft and Jagex. Paltalk claims the data-sharing technologies used in MMOs like World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings Online, Everquest, Guild Wars and Runescape violates two patents that Paltalk purchased from a company called HearMe in 2002. The patents cover technologies for sharing data among connected computers so all users see the same digital environment.

Some readers may think Paltalk has no chance of winning this lawsuit. However, Microsoft settled with Paltalk in 2006 by paying an undisclosed sum after Paltalk sued the industry giant for violating these same patent rights in Halo multiplayer features. As the article states, "Microsoft has conceded the validity of Paltalk's patents, making it tougher for Turbine and the other defendants in the current lawsuit to challenge them."

Tags: LordoftheRingsOnline, Runescape, SonyOnlineEntertainment, WorldofWarcraft, GuildWars, News
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Is it just me or is this bogus?
Posted: Sep 19th 2009 3:20am | Edited: Sep 19th 2009 5:44am | IP: Logged | Reply to this
RelytEverknight
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Seriously, I think this is just pure bogus, EverQuest existed way before this HereMe company did, they have NO right to add Sony on this very list nor the other older companies.

It's like the similar thing that happened with Nintendo as well when it came to the Wiimotes, in all honestly I rather see this Paltalk dude lose the lawsuit but if he wins it, then I have reason to believe the system has really gone corrupt.

Edited, Sep 19th 2009 6:44am by RelytEverknight
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Is it just me or is this bogus?
Posted: Sep 19th 2009 9:50am | IP: Logged | Reply to this
CaptDuke
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Sorry to burst your bubble, but according to their website, HearMe was founded in 1998, and EverQuest was launched in 1999. When Paltalk purchased the software patents from HearMe, that legally includes the right to file claim against potential patent infringements that may have happened before they owned the patents. There's nothing corrupt in that, that's just the way the law works. When you own a patent or copyright, it's yours. If someone else uses whatever is patented or copyrighted without your permission, you have a right to sue them, no matter when the infringement may have happened.

I'm not defending Paltalk or even saying their claim is just, because I have no way of knowing. I'm just clarifying how the law works.
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Not an easy defense
Posted: Sep 18th 2009 8:33am | IP: Logged | Reply to this
CaptDuke
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Quote:
"Microsoft has conceded the validity of Paltalk's patents, making it tougher for Turbine and the other defendants in the current lawsuit to challenge them."


Some of you are missing this very important piece of information. As someone familiar with law, I can tell you that Microsoft admitting fault will have a huge impact on the suit against the other companies. If Microsoft's lawyers were worried enough about losing their case to settle and admit guilt in doing so, then it will be a tough road for the others to travel. While monetary settlements are quite common to avoid the costs and bad publicity of trial, it is usually attached with the stipulation that the defendant admits no wrong-doing.

Quote:
These people that are filing the lawsuit aren't going to have anywhere near as good of lawyers that Blizzard alone is capable of, let alone Blizzard, Sony AND Turbine.


They were good enough to best Microsoft's lawyers.

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Wonderfull
Posted: Sep 18th 2009 4:58am | IP: Logged | Reply to this
DireWolfLd
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Becides, if they were acctually infringing, why did this company wait so long to file the suit? Microsoft probably just paid them off rather than deal with a court battle.
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How dumb
Posted: Sep 17th 2009 9:00pm | IP: Logged | Reply to this
cliveevenstar
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It's strange but most the internet uses this kind of data structure that these guys are trying to say is theres. Think about it, the visual data shared between two computers. M.U.D.s use this same type of data. Not only that but a TON of internet related websites do as well. They might as well just sue the world.
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Money.
Posted: Sep 17th 2009 3:58pm | IP: Logged | Reply to this
Zariamnk
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I sure hope those guys have a LOT of freaking money.

In a court system, money can get you anything.

These people that are filing the lawsuit aren't going to have anywhere near as good of lawyers that Blizzard alone is capable of, let alone Blizzard, Sony AND Turbine.
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Posting from Somewhere, everywhere but there.
BS
Posted: Sep 17th 2009 2:40pm | IP: Logged | Reply to this
Shilox
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How can EQ (SoE) be listed among the defenders? The game has been out since 1999 well before those jerkoff's bought the patent rights! It is just another grab for money and we the gamers will end up paying for it again.
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retarded
Posted: Sep 17th 2009 11:31am | IP: Logged | Reply to this
Sandinmygum
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title says it all.

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>8<
FFXI: Retired, forever I think
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Oh joy....
Posted: Sep 17th 2009 10:55am | IP: Logged | Reply to this
jagerdave
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This is like a Level 40 Troll, begging for gold at the AH in Orgrimarr :)
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