Two patents that relate to how to embed interactive applications in web browsers, by a jury in the U.S. will be declared void. Eolas complained 22 major internet companies, including Google and Apple, for infringing on the patents.
With the invalidation of the patents runs Eolas hundreds of millions of dollars wrong. If the company had won, the consequences were far-reaching, given the broad description of the patent. In 2009, Eolas in the lawsuit against the 22 internetgrootmachten, including Adobe, Amazon, Apple, eBay and Google. Among other Oracle found previously a settlement with Eolas and has a license on the patent described technology, taken.
One of the two patents describes “a system in which users of a browser on a computer, which is on an open distributed hypermedia system is connected, allows for an embedded objectprogramma to perform”. Eolas argued that a lot of sites with online video, search suggestions, and other interactive elements patent infringement.
The founder of Eolas, and the University of California were given the patents in 1998. Among other things, the founder of the web, Tim Berners Lee, testified in the case. Berners Lee showed themselves afterwards delighted with the ruling. Also Dave Raggett, creator of the <embed>tag and Pei-Yuan Wei, inventor of an early web browser named Viola, came to the hearing to testify. That application would already be in 1993 have made use of the in the patent described technique. Eolas can still appeal, but that is again a long-standing case, argues Wired.