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GEN-ERIC Patent News
Tuesday, January 6, 2004

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HEADLINES (patents issued a few hours ago..)
The Roboto Patent of the Day goes to
Innovation First, Inc. of Texas for a
System and method for managing and controlling a robot competition

The Lick Me Patent of the Day goes to
an Independent Inventor from Illinois for a
Moisture actuated imaging device
    Index
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NEWS
TiVo sues EchoStar over DVR features
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/7643098.htm
TiVo, the San Jose company that pioneered digital video recording for television, Monday sued EchoStar, the parent company of satellite TV provider Dish Network, alleging patent infringement of specific DVR features. Dish Network's DVR is one of the biggest competitors to TiVo's service. Unlike cable-TV providers, which are just starting to launch DVR services in select markets, Dish Network has been offering scaled-down digital recording features for about as long as TiVo. The suit, filed in federal district court in Texas, alleges that EchoStar's DVR infringes TiVo's ``Time Warp'' patent, which includes the method used to allow viewers to record one program while watching another and the storage format that supports advanced ``TrickPlay'' capabilities such as pausing live television, rewinding and slow motion.
    Index
Judge finds Purdue's patents for Oxycontin painkiller invalid
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10753133&BRD=2212&PAG=461&dept_id=465812&rfi=6
A federal judge ruled that Purdue Pharma LP patents protecting its painkiller Oxycontin are invalid, clearing the way for drug maker Endo Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc. to sell a generic version of the drug. Purdue, based in Stamford, Conn., sued Endo for patent infringement in 2000 after Endo filed an abbreviated new drug application with the Food and Drug Administration to sell generic Oxycontin, which is designed to treat moderate to severe pain. In a 50-page opinion issued Monday, U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein in Manhattan found that while Endo violated three of closely held Purdue's patents on the drug, Endo "has proven by clear and convincing evidence that the patents are invalid due to Purdue's inequitable conduct before the Patent and Trademark Office during the prosecution of the patents in suit."
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Lucent Hires Intellectual Property Head
http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?site=lightreading&doc_id=45526
Lucent Technologies today announced that Jan M.K. Jaferian, an executive with extensive experience creating and managing corporate intellectual property programs, has joined the company as Intellectual Property Business President, effective immediately. Jaferian, 54, was most recently a vice president and general manager of Xerox Corporation's Intellectual Property Operations, where she was responsible for developing intellectual property strategies and policies to ensure growth, competitiveness and profitable commercialization of its patent portfolio. Jaferian will report to Bill O'Shea, Bell Labs President and Lucent's Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy, and be responsible for protecting, enhancing and generating value from Lucent's Intellectual Property assets, which includes Lucent's extensive portfolio of nearly 14,000 active patents worldwide.
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PATENTS OF THE DAY

6,674,259

System and method for managing and controlling a robot competition

Abstract: A system and method for operating robots in a robot competition. One embodiment of the system may include operator interfaces, where each operator interface is operable to control movement of a respective robot. A respective operator interface may be in communication with an associated operator radio, where each radio may have a low power RF output signal. A robot controller may be coupled to each robot in the robot competition. A robot radio may be coupled to a respective robot and in communication with a respective robot controller and operator radio. The robot radios may have a low power RF output signal while communicating with the respective operator radios. Alternatively, the radios may be short range radios, where a distance of communication may be a maximum of approximately 500 feet.

Index

6,672,254

Moisture actuated imaging device

Abstract: A moisture actuated imaging device comprising a base sheet having a latent image provided on the surface of the sheet, a water soluble colorant material adapted to expose the latent image and an attractant for inducing a pet animal to lick the base sheet whereby the water soluble colorant is caused to render the latent image visible.