posted
let´s hope for another eod push like the last days also per CEO there is additional patent news coming next week sounds all very promising...
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Hop-on's Design Patent Shakes up Industry US Patent Office Approval Delivers Licensing Agreement Apr 16, 2007 12:20:00 PM Copyright Business Wire 2007
IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
HOP-ON, INC. (OTC:HPNN) announced today they have granted a non-exclusive licensing agreement to Motorola which extends the party's prior contract in 2001. The national patent license will include Hop-on's Design patent (D536,685) and (D536,320), known as the "Mp3 speaker phone" and "flip phone". The Irvine based company values the integrity of Motorola in the marketplace and decided to grant the license without any formal litigation. The confidential agreement and financial terms are undisclosed. The Mp3 and flip phone designs are currently used market wide by all major carriers and manufacturers on numerous products.
The news earlier last week of potential infringement of Hop-on's designs received harsh statements from industry rivals. Robert Katz, patent attorney for Nokia, commented Hop-on was attempting an "industry shakedown" by claims of US Patent approval. Katz opined, "Design patents don't cover function...the products in question need to look enough alike." Nokia's long standing legal battles with Qualcomm recently resulted in accusations Qualcomm was a serial litigator. Peter Michaels, President of Hop-on, stated, "Nokia simply does not want to continue to pay Qualcomm for the use of their patents. The harsh reality of our industry requires the company who uses other's designs or technology to pay a fair price to compensate for that idea. I think the irony of Nokia's latest release of their 'isync' (any relation to the iphone?) shows controversy by the past five years 'speed of light' technology race and leaves an uncertain future of who will pay for these blatant violations of patent and trademark laws. In the end it is simple, if these carriers want to continue to use my design they will need to compensate us for that design."
Hop-on's patent attorney Robert T. Braun is doubtful any major carrier or manufacturer will risk the potential cost of Hop-on prevailing on these claims. Mr. Braun explains, "The use of another company's patent or trademark carries risk to the using party. The cost of any potential infringement can be very high to the infringing company."
As to all the hype surrounding Michaels' claim of market wide patent infringement, Michaels and his company are on a roll, stating, "Willful infringement is factual, if companies are doubtful of our claim, we will pursue all remedies. I am confident current negotiations will provide closure for the four major carriers in the U.S." There is no sympathy for Nokia in their losing battle against Qualcomm. "I think the tables have turned on Nokia and all they can do is citing the tremendous difficulty of prevailing on a patent claim. I can assure Robert Katz the only market shakedown which has occurred here are manufacturers like his believing they can use any design they choose. The monopoly is crumbling." Hop-on is moving fast and promises future surprises for people like Katz. "I am confident our US Patent Design approval will not be viewed by the Federal courts as meaningless." Says Michaels, "If so, I assure you, we will be releasing the next Hop-on iphone." For more information, visit http://www.Hop-on.com.
This news release includes forward-looking statements regarding, among other things, the Company's business and financial plans, strategies and prospects. Although the Company believes that its plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot provide assurance that it will achieve or realize these plans, intentions or expectations. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many of the forward-looking statements contained in this news release may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, should, planned, will, may, intend, estimated, and potential, among others. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements made in this news release include market conditions and those set forth in any reports or documents that the Company may publicly file from time to time. All forward-looking statements attributable to the company or a person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary language.
Source: Hop-on, Inc.
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Hop-on Inc. Danny Coleman 949-756-900
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