Do you want to make alot of money, simple, take out a patent on something that is used as a standard and then sue every one that uses it.
Forgent Networks sued 31 companies this week for allegedly infringing on a patent for a data compression technique used in the JPEG standard for digital images.
The kicker being :
The procedure used to compress digital images in order to create a JPEG file infringes on Forgent's patent for a similar method of digital image compression, the Austin, Texas, company alleges.
But catch this:
In 2002, Forgent announced it held this patent, and said it planned to seek licensing agreements from any company that sells products that compress or store digital images.
Now why did they wait untill 2002.
And of course the contention is:
The Independent JPEG Group (IJG) said in 2002 that Forgent's patent was related to a different type of compression technology than the one used by the JPEG standard. A representative from IJG could not immediately be reached for comment.
I would be interested in just when Forgent first patented this, and of course why they waited untill 2002 to start complaining that every one was infringing on their patent.
Here is the source.
(note to HT -- I checked the spelling of source this time....lol)