Famous Software Patents

Originally posted on February 1, 2023 @ 3:32 am

Famous Software Patent Examples

Software patents protect the intellectual property of software developers by preventing the illicit use, sale, or distribution of their innovative work. Numerous significant instances involving software patents have been recorded over the years. This article aims to explore some of the most illustrious cases of software patents.

What are software patents?

A software patent is a legal document that grants the holder exclusive rights to use, sell, or distribute a particular software invention. Software patents are designed to protect the intellectual property of software developers and encourage innovation.

24 Famous Patents You May Have Heard of:

In this section, we will discuss some of the most famous software patent examples. We will provide a brief overview of each case and discuss the implications of the ruling.

1. Apple iPhone Patent

The Apple iPhone patent, which was granted in 2007, covered the design and functionality of the iPhone. The iPhone was a revolutionary device that changed the way people interacted with their phones.

2. Microsoft Windows Patent

The Microsoft Windows patent, which was granted in 1985, covered the graphical user interface (GUI) of the Windows operating system. The patent helped to establish Microsoft’s dominance in the personal computer market.

The GUI made it easier for users to interact with their computers, and it set the standard for how graphical user interfaces should look and function.

3. Amazon One-Click Patent

The Amazon One-Click patent is one of the most famous software patents of all time. The patent, which was granted in 1999, allows Amazon customers to make purchases with just one click. The patent was controversial because many people argued that the idea of a one-click purchase was too simple to be patented.

In 2000, Amazon sued Barnes & Noble for infringing on the One-Click patent. The case eventually settled out of court, with Barnes & Noble agreeing to pay Amazon an undisclosed amount of money.

4. Adobe Flash Patent

The Adobe Flash patent, which was granted in 1998, covered the Flash Player software that was used to play multimedia content on the web. Flash was widely used for many years, and it was a key technology for web developers and content creators.

However, the rise of HTML5 and the increasing popularity of mobile devices led to the decline of Flash, and the patent has since expired.

5. Apple vs Samsung: Utility Patents Related to Smartphones & Tablets.

The legal battle between Apple and Samsung is one of the most famous patent disputes in recent history. The dispute began in 2011 when Apple sued Samsung for infringing on its patents for the iPhone and iPad.

The case went to trial in 2012, and a jury awarded Apple $1.05 billion in damages. However, the ruling was eventually overturned on appeal, and the case was sent back to the lower court for a retrial. In the end, Samsung was ordered to pay Apple $539 million in damages.

6. Oracle vs Google: Java Code Copyright Patents in the Android OS

In 2016, a federal jury awarded Oracle $9.3 billion in damages after finding that Google had infringed on Oracle’s copyright in its use of Java code in the Android operating system. The amount was later reduced to $150 million after a series of appeals.

7. Microsoft vs i4i

The Microsoft vs i4i case involved a patent for a custom XML editor. i4i, the patent holder, sued Microsoft for infringing on its patent in its Word software.

The case went to trial in 2009, and a jury awarded i4i $200 million in damages. The ruling was eventually upheld on appeal, and Microsoft was ordered to pay i4i $290 million in damages.

8. BlackBerry Patent

The BlackBerry patent, which was granted in 2002, was a key patent for Research In Motion (now known as BlackBerry Limited). The patent covered the method of delivering email to a handheld device, which was a key feature of the BlackBerry device.

The BlackBerry was one of the first mobile devices that allowed users to receive and send emails on the go, and the patent helped to protect the company’s intellectual property.

9. VirnetX vs Apple

In 2012, a federal jury awarded VirnetX $368 million in damages after finding that Apple had infringed on several of its patents related to secure communications technology. Years of trials and appeals led to Virnetx finally being awarded half a million dollars in 2020.

10. Carnegie Mellon University vs Marvell Technology Group

In 2012, a jury awarded Carnegie Mellon University $1.17 billion in damages after finding that Marvell had infringed on several of the university’s patents related to hard disk drive technology. The amount was later reduced to $278 million after a series of appeals.

11. Uniloc vs Microsoft

In 2009, a federal jury awarded Uniloc $388 million in damages after finding that Microsoft had infringed on a patent related to software activation technology. The amount was later reduced to $200 million after a series of appeals.

12. BlackBerry vs Facebook

In 2018, BlackBerry filed a lawsuit against Facebook, alleging that Facebook had infringed on several of its patents related to messaging technology. The case is ongoing, but if Facebook is found to have infringed on BlackBerry’s patents, it could result in a significant penalty.

13. Intellectual Ventures vs Symantec

In 2015, Intellectual Ventures filed a lawsuit against Symantec, alleging that Symantec had infringed on several of its patents related to computer security technology. The case was settled in 2018, with Symantec agreeing to pay Intellectual Ventures $17 million in damages.

14. IBM vs Groupon

In 2018, IBM filed a lawsuit against Groupon, alleging that Groupon had infringed on several of its patents related to e-commerce technology. The case was settled later that year, with Groupon agreeing to pay IBM $57 million in damages.

15. VirnetX vs Microsoft

In 2010, VirnetX filed a lawsuit against Microsoft, alleging that Microsoft had infringed on several of its patents related to secure communications technology. The case was settled in 2014, with Microsoft agreeing to pay VirnetX $23 million in damages.

16. BlackBerry vs Qualcomm

In 2017, BlackBerry filed a lawsuit against Qualcomm, alleging that Qualcomm had overcharged BlackBerry for the use of its patented technology. The case was settled later that year, with Qualcomm agreeing to pay BlackBerry $940 million in damages.

17. Microsoft vs Alcatel-Lucent

In 2007, a jury awarded Alcatel-Lucent $1.5 billion in damages after finding that Microsoft had infringed on several of its patents related to MP3 technology. The amount was later reduced to $368 million after a series of appeals.

18. Broadcom vs Qualcomm

In 2009, Broadcom filed a lawsuit against Qualcomm, alleging that Qualcomm had infringed on several of its patents related to mobile phone technology. The case was settled later that year, with Qualcomm agreeing to pay Broadcom $891 million in damages.

19. TiVo vs EchoStar

In 2011, a federal appeals court upheld a $500 million judgment against EchoStar in a patent infringement case brought by TiVo related to digital video recording technology.

20. Rambus vs Hynix

In 2009, a jury awarded Rambus $349 million in damages after finding that Hynix had infringed on several of its patents related to computer memory technology. The amount was later reduced to $133 million after a series of appeals.

21. Intellectual Ventures vs Capital One

In 2019, Intellectual Ventures filed a lawsuit against Capital One, alleging that Capital One had infringed on several of its patents related to mobile banking technology. The case is ongoing, but if Intellectual Ventures prevails, it could result in a significant penalty.

22. Qualcomm vs Apple

In 2019, Qualcomm and Apple settled a long-running legal dispute over patent royalties. As part of the settlement, Apple agreed to pay Qualcomm an undisclosed amount, widely believed to be in the billions of dollars.

23. IBM vs Amazon

In 2020, IBM filed a lawsuit against Amazon, alleging that Amazon had infringed on several of its patents related to cloud computing technology. The case is ongoing, but if IBM prevails, it could result in a significant penalty.

24. VirnetX vs Cisco Systems

In 2010, VirnetX filed a lawsuit against Cisco Systems, alleging that Cisco had infringed on several of its patents related to secure communications technology. The case was settled in 2017, with Cisco agreeing to pay VirnetX $304 million in damages.

Why are software patents important?

Software patents are important because they provide software developers with a way to protect their inventions from being copied or stolen. Without software patents, it would be difficult for developers to profit from their inventions, which could stifle innovation in the industry.

One of the key issues surrounding software patents is the question of what should be considered patentable. Some people argue that software should not be patentable because it is simply a set of instructions that can be written in code. Others argue that software is a legitimate form of intellectual property that should be protected by patents. As technology evolves so does the idea of intellectual property and patents.