http://www.p2pnet.net/article/8286
Use us or we'll seek maximum damages:
The labels and movie folks aren't the only venal acts around. The Acacia Research Corporation has sent patent-infringement letters to colleges across the country offering to "overlook past infringement" if they'll sign on to "a special royalty rate of two percent of gross revenue from each online course that includes digital audio and/or video content", reports the the Chronicle for Higher Education.
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Acacia says it owns patents related to audio and video streaming used for online courses, and that it is entitled to a portion of revenues from such courses, says the Chronicle, continuing:
"The letters close with a stern warning: 'If you continue using our patented technology, but choose not to obtain a license from Acacia, we reserve the right to seek the maximum amount of damages allowable by law and an injunction prohibiting you from continued use of our patented technology without a license'."
The Chronicle also quotes Berman as saying the e-learning community is, "just starting to incorporate online-learning technology into their curriculum" and, "We are offering them an opportunity now to license our technology at reasonable introductory rates. That offer won't last forever."