Universities against Acacia?

JR · 11-25-2003

http://thedaily.washington.edu/news.lasso?...&-Token.Count=7

UW braces for streaming-media royalty trouble

by Andrew Sengul
11/25/2003

A little-known company called Acacia Research has recently demanded royalty payments for the use of streaming media, a common Internet technology. While the company has not yet targeted the UW, other universities have been contacted, and University Computing & Communications (C&C) personnel are keeping an eye on legal options.

Acacia claims that it holds a patent on streaming media, a term that refers to all real-time transmission of audio and video over the Internet, and its typical demands have been for 1 percent to 2 percent of the revenue an organization earns from streaming media. While Acacia’s initial efforts were directed toward online pornography sites and companies like Radio Free Virgin and ioMedia.com, it has recently begun to pursue settlements from universities.

In the case of educational institutions, the company’s claim to a portion of streaming-related revenue would apply to all student fees used to fund online streaming media and all tuition paid to attend classes that use streaming media for instruction.

Professors at the University of Virginia and the University of Oregon, which have been contacted by Acacia, have stated that such a requirement would cripple their instructional capabilities.

“We’ve looked into the patent and passed it on to the Attorney General’s office,” said Jim DeRoest, the assistant director of C&C. “If we were approached by Acacia, the UW attorneys would defend us in court.”

Streaming is a simple but efficient way of broadcasting audio and video files across the Internet. A file meant to be streamed is compressed, stored on a server and then sent to external systems piece by piece. On the receiving end, the pieces are re-assembled and played in order.

The technology’s main advantage lies in the fact that the entire file does not need to be present on the receiving computer for playback to begin. Also, Web sites that provide streaming content can do so without allowing users to permanently save audio and video files on disk.

UWTV, which provides online access to video media produced by faculty, has more than 2,000 hours of video available for streaming, and streams an average 10,000 hours of material every month.

Research Channel, an online video repository shared by the UW and other major research universities, has more than 1,800 hours of video on demand. No one has attempted to tally the total amount of streaming media whose production has been funded by University money.

Acacia holds five patents granted between 1992 and 2000. According to many information-technology experts, these include no specifics on how streaming media would be implemented, simply describing a system for transmitting compressed media files over a computer network.

The company made no attempt to capitalize on its patents during the Internet boom of the 1990s, and has thus far refrained from approaching RealNetworks, Microsoft and other major players in the streaming-media industry.

FightThePatent · 11-25-2003

I sent an email to their General Counsel and left voicemail earlier.

Fight the Voicemail!

Dravyk · 11-25-2003

Quote:

I guess they were not too intimidated

LOL! Poor Acacia, thinking everyone would just roll over.

PornoDoggy · 11-25-2003

You should have titled this [Labret] is an Asshole - Universities against Acacia.

It would have gotten noticed then.

Mike AI · 11-25-2003

This is good news. Universities are DEFINATELY not going to roll over.... they cannot afford to.

doober · 11-25-2003

Wait till Harvard and the likes step up to the plate with their research, this will defenitely be fun to watch

lawyers with internet patents...

DTK · 11-25-2003

My father-in-law works in the media/video department of a good sized university. Doesn't know that we're in the pr0n business. One day, he starts a discussion about this company that was trying to strongarm them. Twas hard to contain my smirk while I clued him in on the worthlessness of their claims

LadyMischief · 11-25-2003

This should get interesting... I can't wait to see Acacia get owned by the Universities

Centurion · 11-25-2003

Yea Huskies!

KRL · 11-25-2003

I can't wait to see these sleaze bags become road kill.

Sly · 11-25-2003

Looks like UW may be playing the "wait and see" game, which is expected. Can't wait until ACACIA pisses off the wrong school. Ha!

Mike AI · 11-25-2003

Quote:

Originally posted by DTK@Nov 25 2003, 08:43 PM
My father-in-law works in the media/video department of a good sized university. Doesn't know that we're in the pr0n business. One day, he starts a discussion about this company that was trying to strongarm them. Twas hard to contain my smirk while I clued him in on the worthlessness of their claims

HAHA Small world!

11-25-2003	#1
JR Members The global leader in pay-per-view AEBN Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: in my chair Posts: 3,320	http://thedaily.washington.edu/news.lasso?...&-Token.Count=7 UW braces for streaming-media royalty trouble by Andrew Sengul 11/25/2003 A little-known company called Acacia Research has recently demanded royalty payments for the use of streaming media, a common Internet technology. While the company has not yet targeted the UW, other universities have been contacted, and University Computing & Communications (C&C) personnel are keeping an eye on legal options. Acacia claims that it holds a patent on streaming media, a term that refers to all real-time transmission of audio and video over the Internet, and its typical demands have been for 1 percent to 2 percent of the revenue an organization earns from streaming media. While Acacia’s initial efforts were directed toward online pornography sites and companies like Radio Free Virgin and ioMedia.com, it has recently begun to pursue settlements from universities. In the case of educational institutions, the company’s claim to a portion of streaming-related revenue would apply to all student fees used to fund online streaming media and all tuition paid to attend classes that use streaming media for instruction. Professors at the University of Virginia and the University of Oregon, which have been contacted by Acacia, have stated that such a requirement would cripple their instructional capabilities. “We’ve looked into the patent and passed it on to the Attorney General’s office,” said Jim DeRoest, the assistant director of C&C. “If we were approached by Acacia, the UW attorneys would defend us in court.” Streaming is a simple but efficient way of broadcasting audio and video files across the Internet. A file meant to be streamed is compressed, stored on a server and then sent to external systems piece by piece. On the receiving end, the pieces are re-assembled and played in order. The technology’s main advantage lies in the fact that the entire file does not need to be present on the receiving computer for playback to begin. Also, Web sites that provide streaming content can do so without allowing users to permanently save audio and video files on disk. UWTV, which provides online access to video media produced by faculty, has more than 2,000 hours of video available for streaming, and streams an average 10,000 hours of material every month. Research Channel, an online video repository shared by the UW and other major research universities, has more than 1,800 hours of video on demand. No one has attempted to tally the total amount of streaming media whose production has been funded by University money. Acacia holds five patents granted between 1992 and 2000. According to many information-technology experts, these include no specifics on how streaming media would be implemented, simply describing a system for transmitting compressed media files over a computer network. The company made no attempt to capitalize on its patents during the Internet boom of the 1990s, and has thus far refrained from approaching RealNetworks, Microsoft and other major players in the streaming-media industry. __________________

11-25-2003	#2
FightThePatent Members Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 303	I sent an email to their General Counsel and left voicemail earlier. Fight the Voicemail! __________________ Learn more about Acacia and other patent abuse cases at: http://www.FightThePatent.com \| find the goldmines of traffic

11-25-2003	#4
PornoDoggy Cramming 3 people in a Room to Attend Show Want to see your own Advertising Here! Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Amid the Cornfields of Illinois Posts: 5,366	You should have titled this [Labret] is an Asshole - Universities against Acacia. It would have gotten noticed then. __________________ SEX STORY TEXT Exotic Material for Adult Websites Available for part time (project or ongoing) work ...

11-25-2003	#5
Mike AI Administrator Want to see your own Advertising Here! Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 11,618	This is good news. Universities are DEFINATELY not going to roll over.... they cannot afford to. __________________ Make big money on your Domains! Why wait 40 days to get paid with the other guys? Parked.com pays the most for your traffic, and cuts checks twice a month!

11-25-2003	#8
LadyMischief I like it squishy and wierd. Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Oakville, Ontario Posts: 942	This should get interesting... I can't wait to see Acacia get owned by the Universities __________________ Affiliate Marketing Manager - Homegrowncash www.homegrowncash.com

11-25-2003	#6
doober Members Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 12	Wait till Harvard and the likes step up to the plate with their research, this will defenitely be fun to watch lawyers with internet patents...

11-25-2003	#7
DTK Members Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Fucking Cold Tahoe Posts: 28	My father-in-law works in the media/video department of a good sized university. Doesn't know that we're in the pr0n business. One day, he starts a discussion about this company that was trying to strongarm them. Twas hard to contain my smirk while I clued him in on the worthlessness of their claims

11-25-2003	#9
Centurion Members I'm new! Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 2	Yea Huskies!

11-25-2003	#10
KRL Members Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 339	I can't wait to see these sleaze bags become road kill. __________________ Quick Buck "Value and buy domains not for what they did yesterday or today, but rather for what they can be built to do in the future."

11-25-2003	#11
Sly Members Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 29	Looks like UW may be playing the "wait and see" game, which is expected. Can't wait until ACACIA pisses off the wrong school. Ha!