Apple settles patent suit with Burst.com
Apple has agreed to a $10 million settlement with Burst.com over patents related to delivering video over the Internet.
Burst sued Apple in April of last year claiming that the iPod, iTunes, and QuickTime products all used technology patented by Burst without a license. Burst's software enables something they call "Faster-Than-Real-Time" video, which sounds like it would be hard to watch, but it really represents the technology that allows you to download a 30-minute TV show in less than 30 minutes.
Microsoft paid Burst $60 million in 2005 for a license to the same patents. With this agreement, Apple gets a license to all of the patents in Burst's portfolio except for a DVR-related patent, as well as some DVR patents that are still in the application phase. Burst also agreed that it wouldn't sue Apple in the future for anything related to those patents.
Burst served notice that it wasn't done with litigation just yet. "Burst plans to continue identifying and evaluating companies who represent licensing opportunities and intends to diligently pursue those likely to yield suitable returns," the company said in a press release announcing the deal.
Tom Krazit writes about the ever-expanding world of Internet search, including Google, Yahoo, online advertising, and portals, as well as the evolution of mobile computing. He has written about traditional PC companies, chip manufacturers, and mobile computers, spending the last three years covering Apple. E-mail Tom. 
- Wow. Burst patented a buffer
- by orbital_bruiser November 26, 2007 1:23 PM PST
- That MS paid anything is simply amazing. They patented a buffer.
- Like this Reply to this comment
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(3 Comments)OMG.
Another reason why patents on software should not be allowed.
BTW: My software patents are just as stupid.