Un oftalmologo denuncia Microsoft per l'FM tagging

Edward Yavitz, un oftalmologo di Rockford, Illinois, afferma di aver "inventato" la tecnologia del tagging, che consente di effettuare il download di un brano ascoltato con un lettore mp3 e ora ha denunciato Microsoft perché i suoi lettori Zune e Zune HD hanno violato il suo brevetto. Yavitz afferma anche di aver cercato di contattare Microsoft nel 2006 per venderle la sua invenzione, senza ricevere alcuna risposta. Microsoft ha introdotto la funzione di "Buy from FM" nel 2008. Nel 2000, il dottor Edward Yavitz ha depositato una richiesta di brevetto, accolta nel 2002, in cui descriveva un sistema che avrebbe consentito a un dispositivo computerizzato di ricevere informazioni o effettuare acquisti sulla base di informazioni trasmesse sulle frequenze FM con il sistema RDS. Le notizie che sto leggendo non dicono se Yavitz intende denunciare anche Apple per una analoga funzione di tagging del nuovo iPod Nano, ma nella documentazione che Yavitz avrebbe depositato in tribunale con la sua denuncia, vengono allegate presunte email inviate a Microsoft, nelle quali l'oftalmologo sottolinea come: "THIS IS ALL POSSIBLE AND PATENTED ... SO IPOD and Google CAN'T DO IT, but Microsoft can, if you take the time to talk to me". Probabilmente il medico si riferiva in quel momento a un iPod senza ricevitore FM integrato. Per quanto ne sappiamo la denuncia potrebbe arrivare anche ad Apple.

Non si può dire che cosa succederà adesso. Negli Stati Uniti, la brevettabilità di qualsiasi cosa ha sempre portato a conflitti del genere, soprattutto nell'industria del software dove sono brevettabili non solo i pezzi di codice che implementano determinati funzioni, ma l'idea della funzione stessa. Non penso che Microsoft e Yavitz arriveranno mai in tribunale, se davvero è stata depositata una denuncia del genere, probabilmente Yavitz punta a un accordo extra giudiziario e a una compensazione in denaro, sempre che riesca a far valere il suo brevetto, che tra l'altro potete leggere qui. Eccovi anche la notizia dal The Microsoft Blog del Seattle Intelligencer:

Patent-holding ophthalmologist sues Microsoft over Zune

A patent-holding Illinois ophthalmologist has sued Microsoft over the Zune, alleging the software company illegally added his patented technology to the media player after he tried to license it to Microsoft.

Dr. Edward Yavitz, of the Yavitz Eye Center in Rockford, Ill., says Microsoft willingly infringed two of his patents that cover a method for quickly tagging and downloading music via a device's FM radio receiver. A September 2008 firmware update for the Zune let users buy music through the FM app, by tagging a song and downloading via wi-fi.

In his complaint (PDF), Yavitz says he sent Microsoft a letter in October 2006 to pitch them the idea for the next Zune. His patents – Nos. 6,463,649 and 6,473,792 – were both filed in 2000 and granted in 2002.

From the letter, which was reproduced in Yavitz' infringement complaint:

I am very excited about ZUNE. But I have a simple $5 hardware improvement that will allow for the following when the user is listening to FM radio on the ZUNE:

As each song from the FM station is heard, pictures of the band or the album cover appear on the ZUNE screen.

If the listener presses the ZUNE button during the song, THAT song will be downloaded to his/her ZUNE the next time it is connected to the internet...automatically and without knowing the artist or name of the song. Instant automatic ordering....

THIS IS ALL POSSIBLE AND PATENTED (6463469 and pats pend) SO I-POD and google CAN'T DO IT, but Microsoft can, if you take the time to talk to me. Remember, these desirable features or not now possible on ZUNE but could be for a nominal cost.

Please email or call.

According to the complaint, three days later Yavitz sent Microsoft another letter with more information. Here's an excerpt:

3. By agreement, Clear Channel and other FM stations would broadcast these numbers real time with music/advertising of RBDS frequency (already used to send call letters and music type). Infrastructure is ready today.

4. Listener presses ZUNE button whenever a song or advertisement of interest is heard. ONE STEP FOR USER!

5. RDS- FM receiver inside ZUNE picks up these numbers and stores them when ZUNE button is pressed.

6. When connected to Internet and MSFT music store, album cover pops up or those stored (tagged) song tracks and music is tranferred to ZUNE.

Yavitz contends that Microsoft never responded.

Two years later, Microsoft released the Zune firmware update. Not only did it include a new way to purchase music called "Buy from FM," Microsoft suggested that it worked with Clear Channel by quoting the media company's CEO in a news release.

"This feature remains prominently touted as the first feature of the Zune MP3 players on the Microsoft website," Yavitz's complaint states. "Despite using Dr. Yavitz's patented proposal and adopting it as a centerpiece of its Zune strategy, Microsoft never responded to Dr. Yavitz and never attempted to secure a license on the patents."

Microsoft declined to comment on the case for seattlepi.com. Calls to the Yavitz Eye Center were unsuccessful because the business was closed, and Yavitz's phone number was unlisted.

Yavitz filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. Officially, it is his company, Yavitz LCC, that is asking for triple monetary damages, injunctions on Microsoft Zune products, and a jury trial.

And for the record, it was not immediately known why an eye surgeon holds patents for technology like this. But Yavitz also owns a number of patents on eye-care technology.