RETURN to News Archive ================================================== Copyright(c) 1998-2003 GEN-ERIC Channel.  All rights reserved. GEN-ERIC Patent News Tuesday, April 29, 2003 ================================================== Use Quick Links to Access any Area of Interest Headlines News Patents of the Day Access Official Gazette and Notices Patents Available for Licensing Patent Employment Opportunities Printer Friendly Version ================================================== HEADLINES   (patents issued a few hours ago..) The Patent Rating Patent of the Day goes to Patent Ratings, LLC of California for a Method and system for rating patents and other intangible assets The Geometric Calculator Patent of the Day goes to an Inventor from Arkansas for an Austin Triangle     Index ================================================== NEWS Patent case against eBay goes to trial http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/business/5713792.htm Since online commerce began, no amount of competition or dot-com downturn has slowed the juggernaut of Internet auction giant eBay. But that could change at this week's trial in federal court here, where a businessman who once worked for the CIA is claiming he holds key patents that cover how eBay does business. Thomas Woolston, a Great Falls, Va.-based electrical engineer with a law degree and a history of working for military and intelligence services, wants eBay to pay him for how it runs parts of its popular business, which last year earned the Silicon Valley firm $249 million in profit on income of $1.2 billion.     Index Lowe’s prevails in patent infringement case http://www.homechannelnews.com/story/?ID=2756 A patent-infringement lawsuit against Lowe’s has been dropped by the plaintiff, who contested Lowe’s use of a "moving hologram" on its proprietary credit cards. Michael Anderson, who holds a patent for "data card with lenticular optical display," filed the lawsuit in October 2002 but agreed to withdraw the complaint on April 7, the day a hearing was scheduled. Although there was no monetary settlement, Lowe’s agreed not to seek attorneys’ fees and costs. Anderson, who has held his patent since January 2000, challenged Lowe’s lenticular NASCAR logo, which displays alternating images, combined with a magnetic strip that can store data.     Index Ciena Corp. wins patent infringement suit http://baltimore.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2003/04/28/daily7.html A federal court on Monday ruled in favor of Linthicum-based Ciena Corp. in a patent infringement suit against neighboring Corvis Corp. Both companies develop equipment to route traffic along high-speed fiber-optic communications networks. The ruling by Judge Joseph Farnan Jr. of the U.S. District Court in Wilmington, Del. found that Columbia-based Corvis' CorWave system infringes a Ciena patent covering an optical communication technology the company pioneered. Ciena plans to move for an injunction prohibiting sales of infringing products, the company said. Corvis can appeal the decision.     Index ================================================== PATENTS OF THE DAY 6,556,992 Method and system for rating patents and other intangible assets Abstract:  A statistical patent rating method and system is provided for independently assessing the relative breadth ("B"), defensibility ("D") and commercial relevance ("R") of individual patent assets and other intangible intellectual property assets. The invention provides new and valuable information that can be used by patent valuation experts, investment advisors, economists and others to help guide future patent investment decisions, licensing programs, patent appraisals, tax valuations, transfer pricing, economic forecasting and planning, and even mediation and/or settlement of patent litigation lawsuits. In one embodiment the invention provides a statistically-based patent rating method and system whereby relative ratings or rankings are generated using a database of patent information by identifying and comparing various characteristics of each individual patent to a statistically determined distribution of the same characteristics within a given patent population. For example, a first population of patents having a known relatively high intrinsic value or quality (e.g. successfully litigated patents) is compared to a second population of patents having a known relatively low intrinsic value or quality (e.g. unsuccessfully litigated patents). Based on a statistical comparison of the two populations, certain characteristics are identified as being more prevalent or more pronounced in one population group or the other to a statistically significant degree. Multiple such statistical comparisons are used to construct and optimize a computer model or computer algorithm that can then be used to predict and/or provide statistically-accurate probabilities of a desired value or quality being present or a future event occurring, given the identified characteristics of an individual patent or group of patents.     Index 6,553,678 Austin Triangle Abstract:  I have discovered it is possible to find an indirect measurement if the vertex angle is given and the sides and the diameter are given. Using an instrument having the shape of an isosceles triangle it is possible to have a vertex angle and two congruent sides that correspond to the diameter of a circle or the side of a cube to find an indirect measurement to solve four classic problems, one is squaring the area of a circle, two is squaring the area of a sphere, three is finding the cube root of a sphere and cubing the volume, four is to double the volume of a cube.     Index ================================================== ACCESS OFFICIAL GAZETTE AND NOTICES Access this week's Official Gazette http://www.uspto.gov/web/patents/patog/week17/OG/classIndex.htm Excerpt from OG Notices Certificates of Correction Reinstatement to Register     Index ================================================== PATENTS AVAILABLE FOR LICENSING to Learn More or to List a Patent Plug-and-play smart data cable The invention includes a smart, plug-and-play cable capable of transparently translating between two different communication protocols. The cables are "plug-and-play" such that two devices can be coupled together for communication without the requirement that the user perform any special set-up steps in order for it to work. To implement this plug-and-play functionality, the smart cable of the present invention determines which communication protocols are required at each of its ports, and selects, activates, enables, or downloads the appropriate communication protocol drivers to enable proper operation. Financial screening system In an on-line financial screening service, a database of financial and intellectual property information is searched to find at least one financial security matching user defined financial search criteria. Selection preferences for a financial security are defined as search criteria. The databases are repeatedly searched for records matching the financial selection criteria preferences of the user. Financial securities meeting the users search criteria are then matched to an intellectual property database to determine the number of patents a financial security has been issued Other Patents CHEMBLOX EDUCATIONAL MOLECULAR MODELS BOAT LOADING GUIDANCE DEVICE     Index ================================================== PATENT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES to Learn More or to List a Job Patent Counsel/In-House This position requires a JD from an accredited law school. BSEE or equivalent is also desirable. Admission to California Bar is required. This position requires 5+ years of recent and extensive experience in technology licensing, including patent cross licensing, preferably in non-volatile memory/semiconductor industry. Experience should include having acted as lead negotiator and drafter in multiple licensing transactions. Prior experience in IP litigation is preferred. Must be accustomed to complex deal structures and negotiating licensing transactions with large multi-national organizations. Corporate Counsel Telecommunications Company is looking for a patent attorney. 80% of the position is licensing with the balance litigation plus prosecution. Must have 3 to 15 years of experience. EE or physics background preferred.     Index ================================================== GEN-ERIC Channel