Toyota has settled a patent-infringement dispute over hybrid patent

Just before a hearing was about to take place over a patent infringement claim by Paice LLC against Toyota Motor Corp. before the US International Trade Commission, it was announced that a settlement had been reached.

This patent claim had put at risk Toyota’s imports of its latest hybrid vehicles, including the Prius. The settlement terms weren’t disclosed. Last week, Paice also entered into a settlement with Ford Motor Co. but the terms weren’t divulged either. Alex Severinsky, the founder of Paice, is a 65-year-old Soviet emigrant who jumpstarted his career by developing antitank-warfare instrumentation.
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carguy68 - 7/20/2010 5:17:16 PM

+1 Boost

Lie lie lie that's how toyota built it's reputation. Now that it's backfiring the real toyota comes out.

91z4me - 7/20/2010 6:16:13 PM

+4 Boost

How did they lie exactly?

800over - 7/21/2010 9:43:09 AM

+2 Boost

WTF are you talking about?

Agent63 - 7/20/2010 5:20:29 PM

+1 Boost

I knew Toyota didn't invent Hybrids. Anyone who believes that is an idiot. But Toyota is more of an idiot for not giving royalties to a patent owner. Sneaky bastards have had such a bad year.

1BAD67C10 - 7/20/2010 7:57:46 PM

-2 Boost

im with you agent63 they droped the ball hard

WorldofLuxury - 7/21/2010 2:05:44 AM

0 Boost

I respect the existence of patents, but in this case... it's like patenting cars for having 4 wheels (don't think one still exists). Although, I do like how Ford acquired patents for some of their extremely simple innovations, such as their Easy Fuel Filling thingy.

Joe_Limon - 7/21/2010 12:03:28 AM

+2 Boost

you better think of said idea and patent it before Toyota does... that's how patents work?

krackerhatesme - 7/20/2010 11:30:48 PM

-1 Boost

What about Ford?

truckman - 7/21/2010 10:40:35 AM

+1 Boost

I didn't know justice existed without big $$.

vogeygolf - 7/21/2010 3:35:55 PM

0 Boost

I do not own a Toyota. The closest I ever came was test driving a 1987 when it was new back in the day when I clearly could not afford one.

If you do more research on this, you'll realize how crazy the patent process has gotten. This guy patented a dream, basically. An idea. With no specifics on how it would work, no technical details, nothing but purely an idea. Sort of similar to one of the previous posts, sort of like patenting a car that would go 400 MPH. But no technology to support it.

The patent system in our country is so broken, it's silly.

krackerhatesme - 7/21/2010 7:07:41 PM

+1 Boost

Blah Blah blah Toyota blah blah blah blah Toyota... Ford also entered settlement...