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British Telecommunications is the latest company to file a lawsuit against Valve. BT has filed the lawsuit in Delaware, a location that apparently favors patent holders. BT claims that Valve infringes on the Gittins, Newton, Buckley, and Beddus patents.Fortunately, this handy legal document breaks down what each of these patents is and how they may related to Valve.
Gittins
(...)relates generally to providing users with content that originates from multiple subscription services and delivering it through a single portal where a customer may access content for which it has access rights. The user requests content directly from the portal instead of requesting content separately from each of the subscription services. The portal can obtain the items from the remote sources or, alternatively, from readily-accessible storage associated with the portal where the items were previously stored so that they are available on
demand.
"As described in detail below, Valve’s Steam infringes the Gittins Patent as construed by this Court. Valve’s Steam locally stores third-party content, such as video games, and, through the Steam platform, makes them accessible to users who have access rights, precisely as claimed."
Newton
(...)"relates generally to a method for delivering structured messages comprised of information and data parts to an intended audience in a reliable and predictable manner. Messages are stored as files at a server for retrieval by the intended clients. Each client transmits requests for messages to the server at automatic and periodic intervals. As described in detail below, Valve’s Steam Chat infringes the Newton Patent.
"Valve’s Steam Chat delivers messages to users comprised of information and data parts. The messages are stored as files at a Valve server for retrieval by the intended uses. The Valve software client transmits requests for messages to the Valve server at automatic and periodic intervals, which are subsequently displayed at user terminals."
Beddus
The Beddus Patent relates generally to a communications system in which a user is provided with different communication mechanisms and each mechanism is associated with a call control protocol. The user’s status is monitored, and when the user is determined to be logged out of the system, persistent communication mechanisms are available and at least one non-persistent communication mechanism is unavailable.
As described in detail below, Valve’s Steam Messaging infringes the Beddus Patent. Valve operates a communications network to support Valve Steam Messaging where users are provided with different communications mechanisms (e.g., text chat and VoIP calls), and each mechanism is associated with a call control protocol. A user’s status is monitored, and when the user is determined to be logged out of the system, text chat (here, a persistent communication mechanism) is available and VoIP calls are disabled.
Buckley
The Buckley Patent generally relates to a multi-user display system and method for controlling a communal display that includes at least two independent workstations and an interface server for connection to a data network.
As described in detail below, Valve’s Steam Broadcasting infringes the Buckley Patent. Steam Broadcasting controls a communal display that allows a game player to share a streaming video of their game play with one or more second users. Steam Broadcasting also uses an interface server that manages the users and their requests.
(...)relates generally to providing users with content that originates from multiple subscription services and delivering it through a single portal where a customer may access content for which it has access rights. The user requests content directly from the portal instead of requesting content separately from each of the subscription services. The portal can obtain the items from the remote sources or, alternatively, from readily-accessible storage associated with the portal where the items were previously stored so that they are available on
demand.
"As described in detail below, Valve’s Steam infringes the Gittins Patent as construed by this Court. Valve’s Steam locally stores third-party content, such as video games, and, through the Steam platform, makes them accessible to users who have access rights, precisely as claimed."
Newton
(...)"relates generally to a method for delivering structured messages comprised of information and data parts to an intended audience in a reliable and predictable manner. Messages are stored as files at a server for retrieval by the intended clients. Each client transmits requests for messages to the server at automatic and periodic intervals. As described in detail below, Valve’s Steam Chat infringes the Newton Patent.
"Valve’s Steam Chat delivers messages to users comprised of information and data parts. The messages are stored as files at a Valve server for retrieval by the intended uses. The Valve software client transmits requests for messages to the Valve server at automatic and periodic intervals, which are subsequently displayed at user terminals."
Beddus
The Beddus Patent relates generally to a communications system in which a user is provided with different communication mechanisms and each mechanism is associated with a call control protocol. The user’s status is monitored, and when the user is determined to be logged out of the system, persistent communication mechanisms are available and at least one non-persistent communication mechanism is unavailable.
As described in detail below, Valve’s Steam Messaging infringes the Beddus Patent. Valve operates a communications network to support Valve Steam Messaging where users are provided with different communications mechanisms (e.g., text chat and VoIP calls), and each mechanism is associated with a call control protocol. A user’s status is monitored, and when the user is determined to be logged out of the system, text chat (here, a persistent communication mechanism) is available and VoIP calls are disabled.
Buckley
The Buckley Patent generally relates to a multi-user display system and method for controlling a communal display that includes at least two independent workstations and an interface server for connection to a data network.
As described in detail below, Valve’s Steam Broadcasting infringes the Buckley Patent. Steam Broadcasting controls a communal display that allows a game player to share a streaming video of their game play with one or more second users. Steam Broadcasting also uses an interface server that manages the users and their requests.
At the very least, BT should also be suing services such as YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, Hitbox, and like every single live cam porn site in the world. Good luck with the lawsuit there, BT.
Also i may have just infringed upon the Newton patent, and the Oxygen one for breathing.