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VirnetX reverses ruling invalidating patents used against Apple
auxio said:Ah well, good for the US economy with all the VirnetX supporters here. Bog yourselves down in lawsuits and stop creating anything of value. Maybe building walls and starting trade wars will bring jobs back. -
VirnetX reverses ruling invalidating patents used against Apple
It's ALMOST amusing to hear people call VirnetX a "patent troll". Do they know ANYTHING about the history of this case?? As a former Chief Engineer for SAIC, let me inform them....
SAIC developed the security technology under a contract from DHS. DHS wanted commercial development of the technology because that would drive the cost of secure products down, and was in the best interests of the US Government. So they gave patent rights to SAIC.
But SAIC went through some upheavals of its own, splitting the company into LEIDOS and SAIC, and many executives left because the company seemed to be tearing itself apart. Some of those left were the ones in charge of the DHS security project and formed VirnetX, and SAIC let them take the patent rights with them.
So Apple executives decide they can take advantage of this turmoil and use the patented technology without paying any licensing fees. Their own engineers cautioned Apple that they were violating patents (there is written proof), but the Apple execs didn't care. When first challenged, Apple claimed they had invented their own technology and removed the offending code. But it was subsequently proven that Apple had done no such thing - they had tried and failed, and then put patent-offending code back in the product. They lied to the court.
Apple has tried every legal maneuver they can think of, and some that I'm sure must be illegal, to prevent VirnetX from prevailing in this patent case. From what I can tell, they had puppet companies try to manipulate VHC stock. And they had others file suits to invalidate the patents after they were told to cease and desist. Apple's actions have been willfully deceitful (as found by multiple juries) and not worthy of a company sitting on $50 billion in profits that THEY did not fully earn.
"Patent troll" indeed. What does one call a large company that uses its economic might to deny payment to smaller companies whose inventions they steal???