PUBPAT Announces Conference Call Regarding Widely Asserted Computer Card
Game Patents Parties Receiving Letters Regarding Goldberg Computer Card Game Patents Invited to Participate
NEW YORK – The Public Patent Foundation ("PUBPAT") announced today that it will host a conference call to discuss computer card game patents currently being widely asserted against individuals and small businesses.
"Although computer card games may not be a vital technology, there is a
strong public interest in ensuring that those asserting patents do not
attempt to take advantage of individuals and small businesses who do not
have access to patent counsel," said PUBPAT Executive Director Dan Ravicher, a registered patent attorney. "We are hosting the conference call in order to educate interested parties so that they can better understand, but not be overly intimidated by, assertions of patent infringement."
The patents, U.S. Patents Nos. 5,823,879, 6,183,366, and 6,264,560, are
owned by Sheldon Goldberg and are the subject of letters sent by Goldberg's attorney to many online computer game distributors in recent weeks. The letters claim that the recipient is infringing the patents, which Goldberg's attorney states do not just cover computer card games, but "are broadly directed to network-based presentations, i.e. changing advertising such as pop-up advertising or rotating banners, in connection with network services." A copy of one such letter is available from the Chilling Effects website.
"Whether the Goldberg patents are valid and infringed by every recipient of the letters is impossible to determine at this time," Ravicher said.
"However, statistics show that only about half of all asserted patents are
valid, and, of the half that are valid, only half of those are infringed."
The PUBPAT Goldberg Patent Assertion Conference Call will be held on
February 19, 2004 at 3:00 p.m. EST. Dial-in information will be distributed to those who contact PUBPAT and show that they either have received a letter asserting the Goldberg computer card game patents or otherwise have a significant interest in the matter.
Contact:
Daniel Ravicher, Executive Director, Public Patent Foundation: 917-843-3425; [email protected]; www.pubpat.org.
About PUBPAT:
The Public Patent Foundation ("PUBPAT") is a not-for-profit legal services
organization working to protect the public from the harms caused by the
patent system. PUBPAT provides the general public, particularly those
persons or businesses otherwise deprived of access to the system governing
patents, with representation, advocacy, and education. To be kept informed of PUBPAT News, subscribe to the PUBPAT News List by sending an email with "subscribe" in the subject line to [email protected].
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