The Blackboard Patent and Blackboard's Big Idea
,----[ Quote ]
| Now that the Blackboard Patent Court Case has begun, let's recap the main
| issues. Blackboard sued Desire2Learn for patent infringement. What is the
| patent claim and what is at stake?
`----
http://tatler.typepad.com/nose/2008/02/what-did-blackb.html
Watch the picture. It's hilarious. Another new attack:
Patent Suits Target Operators, Broadcasters
,----[ Quote ]
| A suburban Philadelphia firm whose sole business is to buy up technology
| patents is trying to force large cable operators and major broadcasters to
| pay substantial license fees on the transmission of digital TV signals and
| Internet services.
`----
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6532982.html
Recent:
Taurus/Orion/Spangenberg Hold Off Ford in Madison; Blackboard-Desire2Learn
Trial Begins in Lufkin
,----[ Quote ]
| Interestingly, Desire2Learn is blogging about the trial. Desire2Learn has
| already invalidated 35 out of the 44 claims of the '138 patent. I love how
| Desire2Learn refers to the inventors in quotes - "inventors." From
| Desire2Learn's blog, we learn that the Software Freedom Law Center filed an
| ex parte reexamination request, and Desire2Learn filed an inter partes
| reexamination request. Both were granted, and are continuing in parallel to
| the trial. We also learn that Judge Clark did not rule on any pending summary
| judgment motions, and decided to hold them for trial.
`----
http://trolltracker.blogspot.com/2008/02/taurusorionspangenberg-hold-off-ford.html
Blackboard Patent Goes to Trial
,----[ Quote ]
| The Blackboard patent infringement case against Desire2Learn goes to trial on
| February 11, 2008 in Lufkin, Texas. The trial is expected to last two weeks.
| Both sides will have no more than 18 hours to present their case.
|
| [...]
|
| By all accounts Blackboard's patent is a stupid one and never should have
| been issued by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
`----
http://tatler.typepad.com/nose/2008/02/blackboard-pate.html
Blackboard Problems Leave Vista on Double-Secret Probation
,----[ Quote ]
| On college campuses, Microsoft's Vista operating system may be in
| danger of failing courses that use Blackboard, a key software
| program for communication between teachers and students.
`----
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2109454,00.asp
>From Doug:
,----[ Quote ]
| "The leaders of higher education’s main technology association have
| written a powerfully worded letter urging Blackboard to relinquish the
| rights it gained under a controversial patent of online learning"
|
| http://insidehighered.com/news/2006/10/27/educause
|
| 'in the Blackboard patent describes a course based-system with user
| computers where each user is “capable of having predefined
| characteristics indicative of multiple predetermined roles in the
| system.” .. every other element (or its equivalent) of claim 1 must
| be embodied in the system in question for claim 1 to be infringed'
|
| http://www.blackboard.com/patent/FAQ2
`----
,----[ Quote ]
| "Blackboard hereby commits not to assert any of the U.S. patents listed
| below .. to the extent that such Open Source Software and Home-Grown
| Systems are not Bundled with proprietary software"
|
| "Microsoft has given Blackboard $10-million in venture capital and has
| stationed Microsoft employees within Blackboard to help with product
| development
`----
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20070202101359621
|
|
