Would You Buy A Car From A Company That Illegally Used Some One Else's Technology?

In a shocking development Toyota faces a lawsuit filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission that seeks to ban the import of all hybrids to the American market. Toyota is being sued by Paice LLC for patent infringement on its hybrid system.

Before you think this is just a frivolous lawsuit that has no standing whatsoever, consider the fact that Paice has already successfully sued Toyota on five counts of patent infringement, and won on three of them. In April of this year, Paice was awarded by the Federal district court in the Eastern District of Texas a future royalty of $98 for every Prius sold.

Toyota is appealing that verdict, but just to up the ante Paice decided to file its suit with the ITC and go for an all-out ban on all the hybrids the giant Japanese automaker brings into the U.S. market.

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800over - 9/18/2009 11:00:04 AM

+4 Boost

A nation of ligitation. Sue, Sue Sue!

MSP6 - 9/18/2009 11:15:50 AM

+4 Boost

Lot's of people already buys Hyundais so I guess people don't mind

_43LE - 9/18/2009 12:57:51 PM

0 Boost

Right, like they're the only ones that ever do illegal stuff...I'd be interested in seeing some stats like crime rates etc.

Agent009 - 9/18/2009 12:59:51 PM

+2 Boost

FLAME SUIT ON!

If you look at the far east in general you do see a lot of mimicking of the surroundings. In many ways you see a process in nature they mimic and improve upon. In general a lot of outside ideas are examined and then improved upon and applied to every day life.

So should technology be any different with this mindset?

Look at the color TV. For several decades the technology was solely an American invention, the Japanese examined the technology and refined the production process and then ultimately dominated the market.

It can be argued that this type of society looks at the box and refines it, while others look outside the box and create new technologies.

So when you are focusing on the same refinements on the same technology as others it is quite possible to reach the exact same solutions to intrinsic issues. So the question become who did what first, or who copied who?

FLAME SUIT OFF!

KZ258 - 9/21/2009 3:48:26 AM

+1 Boost

thats everyone btw. people who actually buy CDs these days are to be pointed at and laughed at out loud

tango - 9/18/2009 2:23:10 PM

+1 Boost

Every car manufacturer is using stolen technology. If they can tell you who invented the wheel, and if that person or his/her estate has been/is being paid royalties, then they are in the good. I suspect none can make this claim. If that bothers you, however, I suggest you go buy a horse.

nvme - 9/19/2009 2:50:43 PM

+1 Boost

patents do not last forever...

truckman - 9/18/2009 11:16:42 PM

+3 Boost

Usually the one with the most money wins, so the fact that the little company won 5x in court is clear that Toyota stole the tech.

Janizary - 9/21/2009 8:13:14 PM

+1 Boost

I buy chicken that results in millions of baby males chicks being run through a meat grinder to dispose of them each year. Why would a bit of illegal tech bother me? ;)