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    Zynga sued over patent infringement

    NEW YORK (AP) — Zynga Inc., the maker of popular online games such as "FarmVille" and "CityVille," is being sued for patent infringement by a Texas gaming startup.

    Agincourt claims Zynga is violating two of its patents related to systems for redeeming prizes in games. The patents were awarded in 2001 and 2004.

    Zynga has plans to offer an initial public offering of stock. About 230 million people every month play addictive Zynga games such as "Farmville," ''CityVille" and "Texas HoldEm Poker," much of the time through apps on Facebook.

    Agincourt, which is based in Plano, Texas, describes itself as a "start-up aggregator and renovator of underappreciated games." Its website links to an online game called Pantheon.

    Agincourt filed the lawsuit Wednesday in the U.S. District Court in Wilmington, Del.

    Zynga declined to comment.

     

    11 comments

    • A Yahoohovianite  •  9 mths ago
      Sorry Bard, one can't patent movie scenes. Might be able to copyright them, but patent - no.
      • the bard 9 mths ago
        Was using it as example of the ludicrous notion that patenting a few lines of code out of the hundreds of thousands that a programmer(s) create, enhance - and yes, borrow is similar to my GWTW analogy.
    • the bard  •  9 mths ago
      Problem with boycotting the patent trolls is that they produce nothing but lawsuits. I just wish the judges would use some common sense. Imagine a scene in "Gone With the Wind" like the burning of Atlanta being patented and no other filmmaker could shoot a burning scene without paying a royalty or license. That's the way these intellectual property trolls are being allowed to operate, It sucks and the judges are either stupid or else they're crooked.
    • JR  •  9 mths ago
      Does China have a patent office? This is killing US tech. Boycott the patent trolls!
      Maybe this will be the tipping point...but I doubt it, too many talentless parasites in the legal food chain to actually create real products.
    • Keith S  •  9 mths ago
      There are some retarded patents out there. You can't invent anything with out some sort of infringement in some way or another! Good grief!
    • None of your Business  •  9 mths ago
      If Zynga declined to comment with the standard "baseclass claims" response, my guess is they are blatantly infringing.
    • Herotodus  •  9 mths ago
      Can't really blame the trolls for doing this. If the USPTO would hire some examiners who have some basic understanding of software, maybe we wouldn't be saddled with these obviously flawed patents. A patent for redeeming prizes in games?! The games in arcades have spit out those little tickets that kids can exchange for prizes for decades.
    • Chip Baker  •  9 mths ago
      Apple is doing the same thing to Google. So is Apple a Patent Troll? Welcome to Apple in Patent Trolls Haven, FACT. Get of Googles back side, Apple. The same thing so Google has gone out and purchased it's own patents from Moterola.
      • LID 9 mths ago
        Not really, you need to read a bit more to understand the apple, google, microsoft nokia thing
      • Pepe Pepe 9 mths ago
        Apple spends millions of dollars developing a very successful product and Google comes in a copies it. There is a huge difference between a patent troll and a company defending their investments.
      • America Rocks 9 mths ago
        Apple hasn't invented ANYTHING, EVER. Everything they sell is just an upgrade to existing products but they still like to call themselves "innovators". They didn't invent the first computer GUI (Kodak did), the first smart phone (Blackberry did), the first tablet pc (HP did) or anything else. Everything about Apple is one big rip off of other peoples technology.
    • Rob  •  9 mths ago
      "renovator of underappreciated games."
      Is that legalize for saying you make games that suck?
    • bjm  •  9 mths ago
      Patents are outdated, and should be gone forever. Just about everything know is based on software which is never novel or original.

      That why there is trademark and copyright protection.
    • Greg  •  9 mths ago
      Agincourt can "describe itself" however it wants. Obvious patent troll is obvious.
    • Tsi Ehta  •  9 mths ago
      A Patent Troll in Patent Trolls Haven (Texas)
      • A Yahoohovianite 9 mths ago
        Guess you missed the part about the fact that this particular patent troll filed suit in the USDCt in Delaware??
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