Virtual worlds firm files IP suit on Christmas Eve

By Angela Gunn | Published December 29, 2008, 7:00 PM

Worlds.com, which launched its first 3D avatar environment back in the mid-90s, has retained an intellectual property law firm and has filed patent infringement suits. Its first, against game developer NCsoft, was filed on Christmas Eve.

The company claims that NCsoft -- the publisher of Lineage and City of Heroes -- is infringing on two patents. The latest of the two, "System and method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space" (US Patent 7,181,690), was filed in August 2000 and awarded in February 2007. It describes a method for displaying other avatars and non-avatar objects (e.g., background items) to multiple users.

The earlier patent, "Scalable virtual world chat client-server system" (US Patent 6,219,045), was filed in November 1996 and awarded in April 2001. It describes how such a virtual world environment can be made scalable.

In mid-December, Worlds.com retained the IP-law firm Werner David and, in announcing the choice, specifically mentioned the two patents as protected intellectual property. Werner David's especially well-known for their work on biotech patent cases, but tech folk may be amused to hear that the firm has sued IBM and won while representing Diebold (the parent company of the e-voting machine maker), in a suit regarding ATM machines.

To make the litigation decision, Worlds.com worked with General Patent Corporation, the oldest (est. 1987) of the intellectual property management or (alternately) patent enforcement firms. Such firms usually first attempt to negotiate with companies that might be infringing on a client's patent. If this situation proceeds as have similar situations in the past, Worlds.com is likely to be pursuing licensing arrangements with a number of companies, perhaps larger firms such as Linden Labs (home of Second Life) or Blizzard Entertainment (home of World of Warcraft), turning to litigation when talks fail.

Tracking the situation over at Virtual Worlds News, publisher Christopher Sherman agrees that Worlds.com probably didn't simply decide earlier in the month to ignite the lawyers. "I would imagine they've met with some resistance from some of the major companies and therefore have been planning a litigation strategy for some time. Just my hunch."

Word from the licensing firm wouldn't seem to contradict that assessment. "The Worlds patents represent exceptionally valuable intellectual property," said Alexander Poltorak, GPC's chairman and CEO, in a press statement when the Lerner David retainer was announced. "We welcome licensing inquiries from the online game industry."

Worlds.com representatives weren't available for comment by our deadline.

Comments

View comments by with a score of at least

Nice to see these people are a buncha patent trolls.. I used their product years ago and it was just awful.. So they waited for someone to do it better to snap the lawyers out.. Really think its time for patent reform.. if you don't use it or even attempt to keep it current you lose it....I love how they just threw up a update to it recently to make it appear is if its a current IP theft.. Worlds is as bad as SCO in the patent-trolling wading pool.. Tend to agree with the others. I hope they get clobbered on Prior-Art

Score: 0

|

The latest of the two, "System and method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space" (US Patent 7,181,690), was filed in August 2000

Ultima Online was *released* in September of 1997.

EverQuest, I believe, was released in March of 1999.

Based on the information in the article (didn't follow the links to the actual patents), they have nothing.

Why can't we sue these idiots for wasting taxpayer money and the courts time?

Score: 0

|

Exactly. This is nuts the kinds of things people sue for anymore. I mean give me a break. So they think they thought up the concept of a virtual world? IDTS; That's been in Novels for ages. Long before some of those idiots were even born was that concept thought of.

Whats next a Chemical bonding company patenting air? Take a breath and you are in violation of copyright... That's how ridiculous this feels.

Score: 0

|

Hell, "The Lawnmower Man" came out in 1994....

These guys are really bad at fishing...

Score: 0

|

Even better, "Tron" - 1982.

Score: 0

|

Two words: prior art.
Examples: MUDs, Crossfire.

Regards,
Ruemere

Score: 0

|

Wow, I haven't heard ANY news about worlds since MediaOne was pimping them when they were still around. I checked it out and thought "hey, that's neat you can chat like in cybertown.com"

Then I checked it years later and saw they made no improvements to the system using the same now outdated graphics. If they actually do something rather than just sue others to generate revenue that would be cool.

Score: 0

|

Google Chrome 4: Yes, it's fast, but is it usable?

As Betanews readers have responded to our stories about Chrome's JavaScript superiority...Does that mean we'd actually use this browser? Well...

Video: Netflix on PlayStation 3

Netflix has come to the PlayStation 3 via Blu-ray and BD-Live.

Verizon Wireless launches new Android, Chocolate, and ruggedized phones

The lower-priced Eris joins the Droid, while the Chocolate gets a touchscreen and more music playback.

Early sales figures for Windows 7 nicely high, but do we know why?

Fans of triple-digit surges in figures quoted by Betanews will love this one, as it appears Microsoft rediscovered how to pull off a software launch.

Myka announces its latest Linux-based 'net top box'

Myka's ION brings Boxee, XMBC, and much more to HDTVs.

What hath Mac wrought? A remembrance after a quarter-century

The reason there's a Macintosh today is not because of some brilliant flash of engineering genius, but because Apple had the audacity to learn from its mistakes.

Early build of Moblin 2.1 improves connectivity, but not device support

The Linux Foundation's Atom-centric OS yesterday received a major overhaul with the project release of Moblin 2.1 for netbooks and nettops.

The iPhone's China syndrome: Sales of 5,000 and climbing

There's actually a country where Apple's device is not a godsend, where sales can be measured in the dozens.

New European counterpart to FCC will ensure 'a more neutral net'

Late Thursday night, the ruling telecom administrators of the EU's member nations signed away their final authority to a new entity overseen by the EC.

Sophos study suggests Windows 7 UAC's default setting is self-defeating

Without any anti-virus installed, a Sophos test showed, User Account Control was only capable of thwarting just one malware package out of ten samples chosen.

Indiscreet tweet trips awareness of Web SSL vulnerability

A group of high-level security engineers had been making progress on thwarting a low-level threat to the Web, until somebody blurted it all out on Twitter.