February 25th, 2008
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Headlines for the week: (Scroll down for articles)
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-US probe starts in Whirlpool, LG patent row~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-Wal-Mart, Target under RFID patent attack
-Clear Winners Unlikely In Motorola -- RIM Patent Fight
-Federal Court To Reconsider Software Patent Issue
-Analysts Say Patent Reform Will Harm Biotech, Add Costs
-Appellate Court in the Netherlands Upholds Basic Lipitor Patent, Prevents Launch of Ranbaxy Product before November 2011
-More Bad News at Tax Time
-Patent is music to firm's ears
US probe starts in Whirlpool, LG patent row
(Reuters) Whirlpool Corp said on Friday the U.S. International Trade Commission is investigating rival LG Electronics following its complaint alleging LG infringed on Whirlpool refrigerator patents.
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Wal-Mart, Target under RFID patent attack
(C/Net) Behind the scenes, Wal-Mart and Target use radio-frequency identification tracking systems to help them keep their shelves stocked, but that method could face new complications if an ongoing patent lawsuit doesn't go their way.
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Clear Winners Unlikely In Motorola -- RIM Patent Fight
(InformationWeek) As with most information-technology patent disputes, there are few clear winners and some obvious losers in the current spat between BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion and Motorola.
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Federal Court To Reconsider Software Patent Issue
(InformationWeek) A federal court is considering the definition of a "business method" patent as part of an appeals process that could affect the ongoing controversy over software patents.
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Analysts Say Patent Reform Will Harm Biotech, Add Costs
(BIO) Certain controversial elements of the patent 'reform' legislation pending before the Congress would sharply increase patent costs and risks, undermining innovation with potentially serious consequences for the U.S. economy, concluded two independent experts in a new analysis released today by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO).
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Appellate Court in the Netherlands Upholds Basic Lipitor Patent, Prevents Launch of Ranbaxy Product before November 2011
(Forbes) Pfizer Inc said today that the Court of Appeal of The Hague in the Netherlands has ruled that the basic patent covering atorvastatin - the active ingredient in Lipitor - would be infringed by a competitor product from generics manufacturer Ranbaxy. The decision prevents Ranbaxy from launching its drug before Lipitor's basic patent (EP 247,633) expires in November 2011.
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More Bad News at Tax Time
(BusinessWeek) While I have previously defended software patents on this very site, I come now to bury them. It's not because I've changed my mind. It's that the latest nemesis is so imposing, many would give up the fight before it starts.
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Patent is music to firm's ears
(Financial Post) Think you have the next great technology solution to help save a particular industry? You better make sure you firm up the rights to your innovation if you don't want end up as a one-hit wonder.
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