Uniloc
Uniloc Corporation is a computer security and copy protection software company founded in Australia in 1992[1] recognized[2] as a pioneer in "try and buy" software distributed via magazines[3] and preinstalled on new computers.
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[edit] History
The Uniloc technology is based on a patent granted to the inventor Ric Richardson who is also a principal in the Uniloc Company. The original patent application was dated late 1992 in Australia and granted in the USA in 1996 and covers a technology popularly known as product activation, try and buy software and machine locking.
In 1993 Uniloc distributed "Try and Buy" versions of software for multiple publishers via a marketing agreement with IBM. An initial success was the sale of thousands of copies of a software package (First Aid, developed by Cybermedia) distributed on the front cover of Windows Sources magazine in 1994.
Later Uniloc worked with US magazine publisher Ziff Davis to distribute unlockable versions of software on the front cover of their magazines including Windows Magazine.[citation needed]
In 1997 a US subsidiary was set up called Uniloc PC Preload to produce preloaded unlockable editions of popular software products on new PCs. Distribution agreements were executed with eMachines[4] and Toshiba. Family PC magazine also produced two months of magazines featuring unlockable software from Uniloc PC Preload on the cover in 2000.[5]
In 2003, Uniloc Corporation set up a US subsidiary called Uniloc USA, which operates out of Rhode Island and Southern California. The company is currently licensing its patented technology to software publishers and entertainment companies including Sega.[6]
[edit] Patent Lawsuits
Uniloc has sued 73 companies over violating its patent. 25 of those companies have settled according to Uniloc. [7]
Uniloc sued Microsoft in 2003 for violating its patent relating to technology designed to deter software piracy. In 2006, US District Judge William Smith ruled in favour of Microsoft, but an appeals court overturned his decision, saying there was a "genuine issue of material fact" and that he should not have ruled on the case without hearing from a jury.[8] On April 8, 2009 a Rhode Island jury found Microsoft had violated the patent and told Microsoft to pay Uniloc $388 million in damages.[9] After this success, Uniloc filed new patent infringement suits against Sony America, McAfee, Activision, Quark, Borland Softward and Aspyr Media.[10]
The decision against Microsoft was subsequently overturned on September 29, 2009 when Judge Smith "vacated" the jury's verdict and ruled in favour of Microsoft again, saying the jury "lacked a grasp of the issues before it and reached a finding without a legally sufficient basis".[11] Uniloc appealed the judge's decision, alleging bias and in 2011 the guilty verdict was reinstated against Microsoft. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said that instead of using the usual "25 per cent rule", the damage awards for infringement would need to be recalculated.[12]
[edit] References
- ^ Corporate Profile for Uniloc, dated Dec. 4, 1999. - Free Online Library
- ^ ABC TV News item Dec 22, 1992
- ^ "Uniloc Debuts 'TITLEwave' CD & DVD; Consumers Can Try Top Software Programs Before They Buy". Business Wire. 1999. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1999_Dec_2/ai_57901495.
- ^ "Uniloc's Try-Before-You-Buy Software to be Included With Emachines PCs in 2001; Consumers Can Try Top-Selling Games, Utilities Free for Up to 7 Days Before Deciding to Buy". Business Wire. 2000. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2000_Nov_10/ai_66803777.
- ^ Uniloc.com Debuts`'Try-Before-You-Buy Software With Family PC Magazine;`'Star Wars Rogue
- ^ SoftAnchor Customers
- ^ http://www.law.com/jsp/cc/PubArticleCC.jsp?id=1202472535249&Patent_Litigation_Weekly_Uniloc_Keeps_Filing_Software_Suits_and_NPE_Patents_Fare_Poorly_At_Trial
- ^ Moses, Asher (September 30, 2009). "Aussie inventor's $445m Microsoft windfall wiped out". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/biz-tech/aussie-inventors-445m-microsoft-windfall-wiped-out-20090930-gc77.html.
- ^ Uniloc Awarded $388 Million in Damages in Major Patent Infringement Case Against Microsoft
- ^ Asher Moses (2010-08-05). "Van man 1, Microsoft 0: now Aussie Ric's gunning for more tech giants". Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/van-man-1-microsoft-0-now-aussie-rics-gunning-for-more-tech-giants-20100805-11ihy.html.
- ^ Eaton, Nick (September 29, 2009). "Judge overturns Uniloc's record $388M victory over Microsoft". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/180587.asp?from=blog_last3.
- ^ Ben Grubb and Asher Moses (2011-01-07). "One man v Microsoft: a day in the Dickmobile, another day in court for Aussie inventor". Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/biz-tech/one-man-v-microsoft-a-day-in-the-dickmobile-another-day-in-court-for-aussie-inventor-20110106-19h25.html.
