Company patents "image hyperlinking", threatens to sue

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VueStar managing director Paul Smith said if sites want to keep using images as links, they will have to pay his company - located in a single-unit office at The Adelphi off Coleman Street - between '$200' and 'millions' annually.

It is a claim, however, that has its doubters.

Technology and intellectual property lawyer Bryan Tan of Keystone Law Corporation said that while VueStar has been granted a patent, it is an extremely wide one.

In fact, 'if the patent is allowed to stand, it will probably bring the (Internet) industry to its knees'. And VueStar's patent may be contested and overturned in court, he said.

The firm has been sending out invoices to Singapore companies since last week asking them to pay up, said Mr Smith. He declined to say how many have gone out, but there have been 'enough to keep my phone busy'.

Those who do not pay up, warned Mr Smith, face legal action, and his company is 'highly confident that (a court decision) will be in our favour'.

Mr Alvin Koh, who runs the non-profit Arrowana fish website arofanatics.com, received one of VueStar's invoices last week for $5,350. He does not intend to pay up and said: 'I would rather close down the site'.

Mr Smith recognises that Mr Koh's stand will likely be a popular one, and his firm is already girding up for a public backlash.

'Website owners are just upset because they never had to pay for it before,' said Mr Smith.

VueStar will begin enforcing its patent claims in Australia and the US 'soon', he said, and the firm is also working on invoices for Internet heavyweights like Google and Microsoft.

While governments and charities will need a licence, VueStar will not be asking for payment from these parties, he said.

Mr Tan urged companies to contact their lawyers before 'paying VueStar anything'.

Source: Straits Times (Singapore)

http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/sh....php?t=1972366

Since it may eventually affect users world-wide, I thought of letting you guys know.