acacia - anyone heared about this company.
 

... it looks like acacia (http//www.acaciaresearch.com) has a patent for steaming media from back in 92´ and now they are trying to sue everybody that offers streaming services on their website ... sounds kinda scary, anybody heared about them before ??

I haven't directly received a letter yet, but someone I work closely with has... here is the text of the letter:

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Dear XXXXXXXXXXX:

Acacia Media Technologies Corporation owns a portfolio of patents dating back to 1991 covering content delivery methods such as video on demand, audio on demand, and video streaming on the Internet. It has recently come to our attention that you are using products and selling services in connection with these delivery methods that utilize technology covered by our patents. Our patents include U.S. patent Nos. 5,132,992; 5,235,275; 5,550,863; 6,002,720; 6,144,702; and an open continuation.

Acacia devlops technologies in the media field, and we have significant experience in licensing technologies and enforcing patents. We request that you immediately contact your patent lawyer and examine your current and future product and service offerings relative to this patent portfolio. Acacia is prepared to license these patents on reasonable terms to you, and we would like to schedule a meeting with you to discuss a license. I look forward to your prompt reply.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Robert A. Berman
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Anyone have any opinions on this and has anyone else gotten a letter from them? From what I can see at their website and from other research on them, their only assets are their patents. Also, a patent search makes me wonder about the viability of their patent in relation to streaming video services on the internet.

Thoughts anyone?

CGI

yeah, talk to a lawyer....

and these days i don't hold much stock in patents, for this and other reasons.

... thanks CGI, my friend has received the same letter, and it pretty much looks like it that everybody that has any streaming media for download on his website (movieposts/membersectionfeeds/content provider/etc...) are soon going to receive the same letter ...

... you either buy a license of them, or go all the way ... and yes, defenitly talk to a layer is an option !!

Oh, also please note... the text of their letter is exactly from their letter...

Their second listed patent is 5,235,275 in the letter.. it's actually 5,253,275

What a pain in the ass this whole thing is.. oh well, back to work and let the legal people handle it.

Can you say, "suck my left nut"? :Graucho I just love assholes that have no real stake in a technology grabbing up a bunch of patents that have no real value until 10 years later when streaming video has really become a valid communication format. I can't wait to see these asshole try and start to collect on this :1orglaugh I hope their lawyers have lot's of time on their hands. If they do start to get anyone, this might be a good service to start offshore in one of the countries that don't offer patent protection and coverage. Anyone want to start a streaming video service in South America ??

Tim
:Graucho

ahh.. the first acacia post on gfy..

The first public one, people received notice of them far before though :)

WG

All things Acacia at the thread: FTP's Acacia FAQ:

http://www.gofuckyourself.com/showth...hreadid=190214


Fight the Patent!

you're all so funny.

even from day 1 it seems everyone thought it was bullshit and an extrorsion scam.