Kentucky businesses invest a lot in their technological innovations, and it can be a disaster when another company comes along and copies their work. It’s important that they to protect those innovations through intellectual property law.
While businesses in all kinds of industries protect their work with copyright and trademark law, patent law is particularly important to the technology industry. This is a sector of the economy where any company that has a technological advantage can suddenly become a powerhouse, and any company that lacks a technological advantage can fall by the wayside. With that in mind, businesses place a priority on protecting their inventions through patent law.
By the same token, businesses must be vigilant when defending against accusations that they infringed on another company’s patents.
Streaming video lawsuit
Recently, the ubiquitous Internet giant Amazon and its video-streaming subsidiary Twitch were named in a lawsuit accusing them of patent infringement.
B.S.D. Crown Ltd., an Israeli company, claims in its lawsuit that Twitch infringed on its patent rights by using a protected technology that stabilizes video streaming over the Internet.
Some years ago, the company, then known as Emblaze, sued two other technology giants, Apple and Microsoft, in a case involving the same patent. That case went to trial, where a jury found in favor of Apple. Separately, the company dropped its claim against Microsoft.
Patent basics
A patent is a way to protect your invention from being copied, manufactured or sold by a competitor. The designs and ideas for the invention in question are filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and, if approved, the patent provides protection for that invention for a limited time.
With a patent in hand for a novel invention, all others are prevented from making or profiting from that invention until the patent is no longer in effect.
It isn’t easy to come up with a wholly new invention, and it isn’t easy to secure a patent. Once a business has one, it is crucial that they defend it.
Experienced attorneys help businesses protect their inventions and defend their intellectual property rights.