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Re: Patent als Waffe gegen Kritiker



> Greg Aharonian hatte in PatNews gelegentlich die Firma TechSearch wegen
> ihrer frivolen Patente attackiert.
> 
> Nun schlaegt TechSearch zurueck und verklagt Aharonian, weil er ihr Patent
> auf "eine Methode zum Komprimieren und Dekomprimieren von Daten auf dem
> Wege zwischen Server und Endnutzer" verletze.  Dieses Patent ist so weit
> gefasst, dass jeder Internetbenutzer es verletzt, und die Firma TechSearch
> verlangt selektiv 30000 USD von Personen, die reich genug erscheinen oder
> die, wie Aharonian, unbotmaessiges Verhalten an den Tag legen und "die
> Regierung der Vereinigten Staaten wuest verleumden".
> 
> 	http://www.callaw.com/stories/edt1031b.shtml
> 
> TechSearch ist eine Firma von Patentanwaelten, die nach eigenen Angaben
> Patente kleinerer Firmen aufkaufen und einer maximalen Verwertung
> zufuehren.  

Interessant ist hierbei auch, dass Aharonian der erste individuelle
Linux-Benutzer ist, der selektiv wegen Verletzung eines Patentes verklagt
wird.  Aus der Klageschrift geht allerdings nicht allzu klar hervor,
wodurch er es verletzt.  Es scheint als ob nach Meinung von Techsearch
bereits jede Benutzung des WWW das besagte Patent verletze:

                          UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
                         NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS


    TechSearch L.L.C.

                                               SUMMONS IN A CIVIL CASE
          v.

                                               CASE NUMBER: 00C 4623

    Internet Entertainment Group, Inc.,        JUDGE KOCORAS
    Ed Napleton Acura,
    Gregory Aharonian, and
    The Green Bay Packers, Inc.



        TO: (name and address of defendant)
            Gregory Aharonian
            440 Davis Court
            San Francisco, CA 94111




    YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to serve upon
    PLAINTIFF'S ATTORNEY (name and address)

            Raymond Niro
            Douglas M. Hall
            NIRO, SCAVONE, HALLER & NIRO
            181 West Madison, Suite 4600
            Chicago, ILL 60602


    an answer to the complaint which is herewith served upon you, within
20 days after service of this summons upon you, exclusive of the day of
service.  If you fail to do so, judgment by default will be taken against
you for the relief demanded in this complaint.  You must also file your
answer with the Clerk of this Court within a reasonable period of time
after service.


        MICHAEL DOBBINS                                      July 28, 2000
        Clerk

                              ====================


                      IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
                     FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS 
                                EASTERN DIVISION

                                                             July 28, 2000

TECHSEARCH L.L.C.             )
                              )
         Plaintiff,           )
                              )        Civil Action No.  00C 4623
       v.                     )
                              )                  Judge Kocoras
INTERNET ENTERTAINMENT        )
GROUP, INC., ED NAPLETON      )
ACURA, GREGORY AHARONIAN      )        JURY TRIAL DEMANDED
and THE GREEN BAY PACKERS,    )
INC.                          )
                              )
         Defendants.          )
                              )



                                   COMPLAINT
                                   ---------

    Plaintiff, TechSearch L.L.C. ("TechSearch"), complains of Defendants,
Ed Napleton Acura ("Napleton"), The Greenbay Packers, Inc. ("Packers"),
Internet Entertainment Group, Inc. ( "IEG") and Gregory Aharonian
("Aharonian") as follows:

                             JURISDICTION AND VENUE

    1.  This is a claim for patent infringement arising under the patent
laws of the United States, 35 U.S.C. 271. This Court has exclusive
jurisdiction over the subject matter of this action under 28 U.S.C. 1338(a).

    2.  TechSearch is an Illinois limited liability company. It owns the
full and exclusive right, title and interest in United States Patent No.
5,253,341 entitled "Remote Query Communication System" issued October 12,
1993 (hereafter "the '341 patent").

    3.  Internet Entertainment Group, Inc. is a Delaware corporation with
offices at 2025 1st Avenue, Suite 1050, Seattle, Washington 98121.  IEG may
be served with process by serving its registered agent CT Corporation
Systems, 520 Pike Street, Seattle, Washington 98101.

    4.  Ed Napleton ACURA is an Illinois corporation with offices at
745 West Lake Street, Elmhurst, Illinois 60559.

    5.  Gregory Aharonian is an individual residing at 440 Davis Court,
San Francisco, California 94111.

    6.  The Green Bay Packers, Inc. is a Wisconsin corporation with
offices at 1265 Lombardi Avenue, Green Bay, Wisconsin 54304.

    7.  Defendants transact business in this judicial district by
advertising, promoting, offering to sell and selling products and services
to customers located in this judicial district and by conducting other
business within this judicial district and elsewhere in the United States.

    8.  Venue is, therefore, proper in this district under 28 U.S.C. 1400(b).


                              PATENT INFRINGEMENT


    9.  As set forth above, TechSearch owns and has standing to sue for
infringement of United States Patent No. 5,253,341.

   10.  Defendants have infringed at least claims 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9 of the
'341 patent by using, and by inducing, aiding and abetting, encouraging and
contributing to others' use of audio/visual and graphical presentations
on their web sites, whose home pages are located on the Internet at
www.clublove.com, www.bustpatents.com, www.packers.com and
www.ednapleton.com.

   11.  Aharonian owns and operates a web site in which he shamelessly, and
oftentimes profanely, attacks United States Government, specifically the
Patent and Trademark Office, its Examiners and various public officials and
private citizens. He also purports to be an expert in patent law, though he
has no specialized training in the field, has not graduated from any law
school, is not admitted to practice before the Patent and Trademark Office
and is not authorized to practice law.

   12.  Aharonian also sells his services in this district and elsewhere in
the United States as a purported searcher of the prior art to attempt to
invalidate duly issued United States patents.

   13.  Aharonian has done and continues to solicit and do business in this
district and has offered and sold his services to citizens of the State of
Illinois who own or operate businesses located in this district.
Specifically, Aharonian has offered and sold a '341 "prior art" package to
companies located in Illinois, in conjunction with lawsuits in the Northern
District of Illinois.

   14.  Aharonian has collected, sold and distributed alleged prior art
concerning the '341 patent and has publicly challenged the validity and
enforceability of the '341 patent.

   15.  Like Aharonian, IEG owns and operates web sites, including
www.clublove.com, that are used to conduct business in this district and
elsewhere in the United States. IEG's business is in the display,
transmission, offer for sale and sale of pornographic material.

   16. The Packers (like every other National Football League team) own
and operate a web site that is used to transmit information concerning
its football team over the Internet. The Packers do business in this district
through its web site www.packers.com. The Packers also do business in
Illinois on a systematic basis by participating in at least one football 
contest in Illinois every year.

    17. Napleton is a car dealer located in this district and, like other
car dealers, owns and operates various web sites for the purpose of
promoting, advertising, offering to sell and selling cars and other
types of vehicles over the Internet. Napleton's web sites include 
www.ednapleton.com.

    18. Such infringement has injured TechSearch and it is entitled to
recover damages, under the law, adequate to compensate it for the
infringement that has occurred, but in no event less than a reasonable 
royalty.

    19.  The infringement by defendants has injured and will continue to
injure TechSearch, unless and until such infringement is enjoined by this
Court.


    WHEREFORE, plaintiff, TechSearch, respectfully requests judgment
against defendants and its subsidiaries and affiliates as follows:

    A.  An award of damages adequate to compensate Tech Search for the
    infringement that has occurred, together with prejudgment interest
    from the date infringement of the '341 patent began;

    B.  Any other damages permitted by 35 U.S.C. '284;

    C.  A finding that this case is exceptional and an award to
    Tech Search of its attorneys' fees as provided by 35 U.S.C. 285;

    D.  An injunction permanently prohibiting defendants, its
    customers and all persons in active concert or participation with
    them, from further acts of infringement of the '341 patent; and

    E.  Such other and further relief as th:s Court or a jury may
    deem proper and just.


                                  JURY DEMAND
                                  -----------

    TechSearch demands a trial by jury.


Dated:  7/28/2000


TECHSEARCH L.L.C.

Raymond Niro
Douglas Hall
NIRO, SCAVONE, HALLER & NIRO
181 West Madison, Suite 4600
Chicago, ILL 60602
(312) 236-0733

Attorneys for TechSearch L.L.C.