Uniloc Corporation is a computer security and copy protection software company founded in Australia in 1992^[1] recognized^[2] as a pioneer in "try and buy" software distributed via magazines^[3] and preinstalled on new computers.

Contents 1 History 2 Microsoft Lawsuit 3 References 4 External links

[edit] History

The Uniloc technology is based on a patent granted to the inventor Ric Richardson who is also a principal in the Uniloc Company. The original patent application was dated late 1992 in Australia and granted in the USA in 1996 and covers a technology popularly known as product activation, try and buy software and machine locking.

In 1993 Uniloc distributed "Try and Buy" versions of software for multiple publishers via a marketing agreement with IBM. An initial success was the sale of thousands of copies of a software package (First Aid, developed by Cybermedia) distributed on the front cover of Windows Sources magazine in 1994.

Later Uniloc worked with US magazine publisher Ziff Davis to distribute unlockable versions of software on the front cover of their magazines including Windows Magazine.^{[citation needed]}

In 1997 a US subsidiary was set up called Uniloc PC Preload to produce preloaded unlockable editions of popular software products on new PCs. Distribution agreements were executed with eMachines^[4] and Toshiba. Family PC magazine also produced two months of magazines featuring unlockable software from Uniloc PC Prelaod on the cover in 2000.^[5]

In 2003, Uniloc Corporation set up a US subsidiary called Uniloc USA, which operates out of Rhode Island and Southern California. The company is currently licensing its patented technology to software publishers and entertainment companies including Sega.^[6]

[edit] Microsoft Lawsuit

Uniloc sued Microsoft in 2003 for violating its patent relating to technology designed to deter software piracy. In 2006, US District Judge William Smith ruled in favour of Microsoft, but an appeals court overturned his decision, saying there was a "genuine issue of material fact" and that he should not have ruled on the case without hearing from a jury.^[7] On April 8, 2009 a Rhode Island jury found Microsoft had violated the patent and told Microsoft to pay Uniloc $388 million in damages.^[8] This decision was subsequently overturned on September 29, 2009 when Judge Smith "vacated" the jury's verdict and ruled in favour of Microsoft again, saying the jury "lacked a grasp of the issues before it and reached a finding without a legally sufficient basis". ^[9]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official website
• US patent 5,490,216