!040894 Another bad software patent (Bunny Rabbit) causing lawsuits Once again, it looks like another bad software patent is causing an uproar throughout the software industry. See the April 8, 1994, edition of the New York Times, page D4. It seems that Software Advertising Corporation of La Costa, Calif., holds a patent covering "any system which integrates an advertisment into a computer software program without altering the function of the program". The patent holders contend they invented the idea of placing advertising symbols in software. Lawyers for SAC are contacting companies asking for royalties. For example, PC Dynamics of Westlake Village, Calif., said Software Advertising is demanding royalties of 5 percent to 10 percent of software sales for PC Dynamics' use of the popular Energizer Bunny in its screen-saver program. PC Dynamics has licensed the rabbit image from Eveready Battery, so that it's ability to use the bunny image is not in question, only the concept of using the bunny image. Knobbe, Martens, Olsen & Bear of Newport Beach, Calif., is the law firm representing Software Advertising. I suspect that this patent will also be reexamined, and much like the Compton patent, have most if not all of the claims thrown out. And if anyone needs a good software prior art search in their defense, my database is ready, willing and able :-) Greg Aharonian Internet Patent News Service