British Telecom patent does not cover the Internet.

August 23, 2002 6:47 AM

British Telecom patent does not cover the Internet. Yea, another overreaching patent holder has gone down in defeat. BT has a patent for a remote terminal/mainframe/modem combination which they asserted covered linking over the Internet. In a recent opinion the US District Court for the Southern District of New York held that BT's patent was not so broad as to cover the Internet. Thank God. Are some people just too greedy?
posted by caddis (5 comments total)

Are some people just too greedy?

Well, yeah.
posted by mikrophon at 7:14 AM on August 23, 2002

The web != internet.
posted by delmoi at 7:14 AM on August 23, 2002

Anyone want to guess at Prodigy's legal fees to defend itself?

This is not a victory for anyone except the lawyers. As Lessig points out, software patents are part of the machinery that big companies use to exclude new companies entering their markets. The real story is BT and Prodigy both paying the patent tax to the lawyers. This protection racket makes sure that startups that don't have VC funding for heavy-duty IP law expertise won't have a chance.
posted by fuzz at 8:32 AM on August 23, 2002

Is this good or bad PR for BT? Not that obvious
posted by ParisParamus at 9:06 AM on August 23, 2002

Are some people just too greedy?
haven't checked your 401k lately, have you?
posted by quonsar at 7:27 AM on August 24, 2002