On 10/13/07, Daniel Lawson <daniel(a)meta.net.nz> wrote:
http://www.clemson.edu/research/ottsite/ottStart_IntelectPatents.htm
*Patent Duration *Utility patents expire 20 years from the date of filing with the U. S. Patent & Trademark Office, if maintenance fees are paid. Plant and design patents do not require maintenance fees. Design patents expire 14 years from grant. A patent cannot be renewed. After a patent expires, anyone may use the invention without the inventor's permission.
The patent is expiring soon, so IP Innovations is making use of their investment.
Just had a look around and: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_patent_law says: Under current US law, the term of patent is either 20 years from the earliest claimed filing date or 17 years from the issue date. And you can sue for past use of a patent without permission as well. -- Web1: http://wand.net.nz/~iam4/ Web2: http://www.jandi.co.nz Blog: http://iansblog.jandi.co.nz