Lawsuit Filed Against Mojang - This Time, For Obscure Patent - News

Lawsuit Filed Against Mojang - This Time, For Obscure Patent

By Sacheverell Jul 21, 2012
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To many, the name "Uniloc" doesn't mean much - however, that will likely change in the coming days. Uniloc is suing Mojang for allegedly infringing on the company's patent. What patent is allegedly being infringed?

a system and method ... for preventing unauthorized access to electronic data stored on an electronic device.

It is not known at this time what, if anything, this means for Mojang. Of note, Markus "Notch" Persson has certainly voiced his opinion on the matter, stating that he "will throw piles of money at making sure they don't get a cent". Little else is known about the lawsuit at this time.

Notch has made the lawsuit PDF available for viewing, which you can see by clicking here. He has also posted a detailed write-up on his perspective on software patents - you can view it by clicking here.

Uniloc appears to be suing numerous other gaming producers allegedly violating this patent, including Square Enix, Electronic Arts and others.

Any further specifics of the case will be covered as they develop.

UPDATE: Ric Richardson has posted his views on the situation as well, which you can read by clicking here. It is important to note that Mr. Richardson has had no direct part in the lawsuit of Uniloc vs. Mojang.

________________

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cadika_orade
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#27 cadika_orade

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Posted Jul 22, 2012
I actually looked up this patent, and I have to say that it is one of the most vague patents I have ever seen.

http://www.google.com/patents?id=dtsVAAAAEBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=SYSTEM+AND+METHOD+FOR+PREVENTING+UNAUTHORIZED+ACCESS+TO++ELECTRONIC+DATA&source=bl&ots=qU6adnqQG4&sig=qdJ7za8kAnaIFSgsSiY0FCXTjyA&hl=en&sa=X&ei=WYsLUKCIO4ag8gS0pLy9Cg&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA

There is, I think, a bit of a loophole. The system describe is based around a smartcard being scanned at a computer and the data of the smartcard being sent to a remote server for verification. This is a very weak case because:

Hardly anyone uses smartcards lately, and Android phones certainly do not. The only smartcards I see lately are in cable decoder boxes.

I can say with the utmost honesty and certainty that Mojang has never made a product called "Mindcraft" that uses any sort of remote verification system. Ever.

I simply cannot believe that the US patent office would approve someone patenting the very concept of someone's login ID being checked against a remote server. (-___- #)
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Clayton_Lee
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#28 Clayton_Lee

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Posted Jul 22, 2012
Quote from XavierHorovitz

I love how biased the title of the thread is. Mojang could very well be the bad guys here, even if they didn't mean to be. You never know.

its not biased its only sayingthey are being sued and by the way dont just call yourself an expert just because you can play minecraft

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cadika_orade
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#29 cadika_orade

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Posted Jul 22, 2012
Quote from webrosc

wouldn't the fact that the legal document states the 'mindcraft app' make if null and void as their isn't a mindcraft app?

My thoughts exactly.

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Judist
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Posted Jul 22, 2012
If mojang can beat bethesda in a lawsuit they care sure beat these noobs

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Ninjaboy00
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#31 Ninjaboy00

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Posted Jul 22, 2012
sorry if I'm late for the party, but from what I heard last page this d*ck is suing every major company for money? here's what I have to say to that: Go f**k yourself Ric, and if you don't have the mental capacity to do that, atleast kill yourself and make it public so we can live in peace.

Quote from Judist

If mojang can beat bethesda in a lawsuit they care sure beat these noobs

lesson to be learned with Mojang: they always win

EDIT: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! F**K YES!! this here proves that they are total idiots:

Mojang is directly infringing one or more claims of the ’067 patent in this judicial
district and elsewhere in Texas, including at least claim 107, without the consent or authorization
of Uniloc, by or through making, using, offering for sale, selling and/or importing Android based
applications for use on cellular phones and/or tablet devices that require communication with a
server to perform a license check to prevent the unauthorized use of said application, including,
but not limited to, Mindcraft.

I bolded and resized the really important part, it's called Minecraft idiots! and since when did Mojang sell Minecraft on Android without approval? If I'm not mistaking it has to be approved first other wise you can't play it on Android based devices, this just proves that they have no Idea what they're doing

Last edited by Ninjaboy00: Jul 22, 2012

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Aeroade
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Posted Jul 22, 2012
Quote from cadika_orade

I actually looked up this patent, and I have to say that it is one of the most vague patents I have ever seen.

http://www.google.co...ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA

There is, I think, a bit of a loophole. The system describe is based around a smartcard being scanned at a computer and the data of the smartcard being sent to a remote server for verification. This is a very weak case because:

Hardly anyone uses smartcards lately, and Android phones certainly do not. The only smartcards I see lately are in cable decoder boxes.

I can say with the utmost honesty and certainty that Mojang has never made a product called "Mindcraft" that uses any sort of remote verification system. Ever.
I simply cannot believe that the US patent office would approve someone patenting the very concept of someone's login ID being checked against a remote server. (-___- #)

heheheh, so basically they screwed themselves?
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13thMurder
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#33 13thMurder

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Posted Jul 22, 2012
Appears to be a patent troll. I do not care for those.

Mr. Richardson should be recieving a creeper in the mail shortly... hopefully* he can outrun it.

_{*13thmurder uses some words to promote a sense of geniality he simply doesn't have.}

Last edited by 13thMurder: Jul 22, 2012

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DadnSon
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Posted Jul 22, 2012
Quote from Jonhy05

They need money. Give them bricks!

They need HITS, many many many of them,,,

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Boundegar
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Posted Jul 22, 2012
Quote from XavierHorovitz

I love how biased the title of the thread is. Mojang could very well be the bad guys here, even if they didn't mean to be. You never know.

You never know, unless you take the time to learn. If you read the facts of the case, it's without merit, and the EFF agrees.

As for bias, what do you expect from a forum that's published by Mojang? If you're one of those people who thinks "balance" is more important than facts, go read Newsweek.

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ferds814
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#36 ferds814

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Posted Jul 22, 2012
im not trying to be the bad guy but if this is saying what i believe its saying. (the pdf) its saying that game makers dont have permission to sell their products using the cell towers provided in texas. if this is true, then maybe, just maybe, these TEXANS have something going for them. except, its STUPID. but hey, if no one signed papers its on them. (yet i say again, stupid) im sorry markuss but your poket edition android app may have gotten you sued just because you didnt sign a paper stating that your game can be sent to phones through DATA PLANS. god, **** texas

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netorincon
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#37 netorincon

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Posted Jul 22, 2012
Well as many of you have said;

1st: MINECRAFT
2nd: The "mindcraft" app doesn't access to ANY data on a remote server, even if it did, it might be something used to check that you purchased the app from the Play Store, which is controlled by Google, not Mojang.
3rd: MINECRAFT
Stupid patent trolls.

Uniloc will burn in the nether...

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oneandonlyzach
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Posted Jul 22, 2012
Quote from netorincon

2nd: The "mindcraft" app doesn't access to ANY data on a remote server, even if it did, it might be something used to check that you purchased the app from the Play Store, which is controlled by Google, not Mojang.

It doesn't.

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Caluck
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#40 Caluck

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Posted Jul 22, 2012
Suing for encrypting program data? Going sue every programmer on this planet now? Go suck some.
- Emailing him this

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Elystus
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Posted Jul 22, 2012
Quote from 13thMurder

Appears to be a patent troll. I do not care for those.

Ric Richardson should be recieving a creeper in the mail shortly... hopefully he can outrun it.

From how he looks in the picture, I doubt he would be able to outrun said creeper.

This makes no sense, I doubt it will get through. Also, they probably screwed themselves by making it a trial by Jury since so many people have heard of and support minecraft.

Last edited by Elystus: Jul 22, 2012

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solderfish
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#43 solderfish

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Posted Jul 22, 2012
That's just stupid there is no way he/she/they is going to win.

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Al648
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#44 Al648

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Posted Jul 22, 2012
Stick; Ric is fat. And he looks like he needs eye surgery.

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surfingpikachu
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#45 surfingpikachu

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Posted Jul 22, 2012
Texas sucks.....Oklahoma is much better

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ckin224
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Posted Jul 22, 2012
a system and method ... for preventing unauthorized access to electronic data stored on an electronic device

Have many governments and companies (i.e. Google, Microsoft, Apple, etc.) not been doing this for the past 3-4 decades?

Unless there is a substantial claim that Uniloc figured they'd omit from the lawsuit itself I don't see how this claim could go anywhere.

Last edited by ckin224: Jul 22, 2012

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Mikayel
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#47 Mikayel

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Posted Jul 22, 2012
Maybe they can settle this over a game of...QUAKE!

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Aom62
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#49 Aom62

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Posted Jul 22, 2012
They seem to have beaten even microsoft in the past. Let's hope that their supreme stupidity makes them mess up this trial.

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