[A2k] JPEG Patent Claim Surrendered

[Soenke Zehle]

From: Public Patent Foundation <info@pubpat.org>

JPEG PATENT CLAIM SURRENDERED: Forgent Networks Ends Assertion of Patent
Challenged by PUBPAT

NEW YORK -- November 2, 2006 -- The Public Patent Foundation ("PUBPAT")
announced today that Forgent Networks (Nasdaq: FORG) has stopped
asserting its patent against the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG)
international standard for the electronic sharing of photo-quality
images.  PUBPAT successfully initiated a challenge to the patent last
year and this week Forgent dropped all of its pending cases asserting
the patent and stated that it would not file any other infringement
claims based on the patent.

Forgent Networks acquired the '672 Patent through the purchase of
Compression Labs, Inc. in 1997 and began aggressively asserting it
against the JPEG standard through lawsuits and the media in 2004.
PUBPAT filed its challenge to the patent in November 2005 and the Patent
Office rejected the patent's broadest claims in May of this year.

"By completely ending its assertion of the '672 patent, Forgent has now
finally admitted that the patent has no valid claim over the JPEG
standard," said Dan Ravicher, PUBPAT's Executive Director.  "This utter
capitulation by Forgent is long overdue, but a cause for public relief
nonetheless."

More information about the Forgent Networks patent formerly asserted
against the JPEG standard, including a copy of the Patent Office's
Office Action rejecting its broadest claims, can be found at
http://www.pubpat.org/forgentjpeg.htm.

Contact:

Daniel Ravicher, Executive Director
Public Patent Foundation
(212) 796-0570
info@pubpat.org

About PUBPAT:

The Public Patent Foundation ("PUBPAT") is a not-for-profit legal
services organization working to protect the public from the harms
caused by the patent system, particularly the harms caused by undeserved
patents and unsound patent policy.  To be kept informed of PUBPAT News,
subscribe to the PUBPAT News List by sending an email with "subscribe"
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